Because I'm not popular, don't like me!
by Zokusho
Summary: By a chance, Megumi Imae gets to visit the home of her cute, shy kouhai. What will happen when she really gets to know Tomoko Kuroki?
1. Chapter 1

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 1**

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"Imae-kun, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ogino-sensei said as Megumi Imae was just about to leave the teachers' lounge.

"Of course, sensei!" Megumi, always the helpful student council president replied, and walked up to Ogino.

"I'm sorry to bother you with this, I would have handled it myself but I'm too busy with the sports clubs and everything ... the thing is, a student in my homeroom class has been sick for a few days and nobody seems to be available to visit her and give her these," sensei explained and showed Megumi a pile of papers. "There's homework, exam information, a couple of questionnaires and so on. Otherwise, we could mail this but these two forms need to be filled by tomorrow ..."

"Say no more!" Megumi said, smiling. "Your class is 1-C, isn't it? I'm happy to help all the freshmen. Where does this student live?"

"Just a moment ..." Ogumi muttered, took one of the files and shuffled through it. "Here it is. The student in question is Tomoko Kuroki. Her address is Nimoshimogo 35."

Megumi's heart skipped a beat. "What, Kuroki-san?! I, uh, know her. I'll be delighted to visit - I mean, deliver the papers."

She took the papers, bowed quickly, and scurried off. _"Kuroki-san! I get to visit Kuroki-san's house! Oh no! She's sick? I hope it isn't serious ... teach said she's been sick for days? Maybe it is serious. Oh, and I have to go shopping first..."_

She stopped running and leaned onto the wall, trying to calm down. _"Why am I so excited...? It's not like I haven't visited a sick friend before."_

Forcing herself to behave like a student president should, she started walking calmly. Many people greeted her as she went downstairs towards the shoe lockers. She greeted everyone back, of course, but her thoughts were miles away. _"Yeah, she's is cute ... and she tries so, so hard. And looks so sad, I wish I could give her a hug. Well, I did, but that wasn't really a hug since I was wearing that costume ..."_

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A hour and a half later Megumi parked her bicycle outside Kuroki residence. She had had to visit the supermarket first, fortunately her own place was also on the way and she had had time to drop off her school bag. She had wanted to change to nicer clothes for Kuroki-san, but since this was school business - more or less - she had kept her school uniform on. Besides, it would be less awkward for Kuroki-san if she was "on business" and this didn't look like a personal visit.

Of course, Megumi knew this was definitely a personal visit. Otherwise she wouldn't be carrying a bouquet of flowers and a basket of fruits. School papers were the last thing on her mind at the moment. Only because she was the responsible student council president she had even remembered to take them with her.

For once, Megumi actually felt nervous and shy. "I wonder what Kuroki-san 's mother is like? Or maybe her father is home already? Does she have any sisters?"

She took a deep breath, checked her uniform and tie, and straightened her posture before finally ringing the doorbell.

There was no answer. _"Nobody's home? Strange."_

She waited a full minute before ringing the doorbell again. This time she pushed it three times, making sure that it was heard. _"I hope it isn't anything serious...like, they had to take Kuroki-san to hospital?" _she thought.

After another minute, there was still no response. But Megumi thought she heard something inside and tested the door handle. The front door was not locked. Nervously, she opened it and stepped inside. "Hello? Anyone home?" she called.

She heard a faint sound, as if someone was whispering _'irasshaimase'_. Then, Megumi took a sharp breath as she saw a ghost glaring at her from the darkness. Or something that looked like a ghost; a very pale, trembling person, with long, messy black hair, dressed in a white gown, and glaring at her like a deer caught in headlights.

"Kuroki-san!" Megumi gasped.

And the apparition was indeed Tomoko. The white gown was in fact a white-ish T-shirt and a pair of baggy pants. Tomoko was trying to say something, but no sound seemed to come out of her mouth.

Megumi's motherly - or perhaps student-presidently- instincts kicked in."Whew, you surprised me. What are you doing? You should be in bed! Are your parents home?"

"N-no..." Tomoko whispered. "… them … and bro … away for tomorrow too …"

_"You are sick and they left you all alone for days?"_ Megumi thought. She didn't say this aloud, because it would be very rude to judge someone's parents without knowing the circumstances.

Megumi kicked off her shoes, and placed the flowers and basket onto the telephone table. "I'll take you back to bed!" she announced, and grabbed Tomoko's wrist before she could ran away. Well, she looked like she was about to run away. "Where's your room?"

"U-u-up...up..." Tomoko stuttered.

"Upstairs?" Without waiting for an answer, Megumi started dragging Tomoko upstairs. Only at the top of the stairs, Tomoko started resisting. "M-my room..."

"Ah, this is yours?" Megumi asked, and slid the door open. To her disappointment, the room wasn't nearly as cute she thought Tomoko was. It was sort of, well, plain. There was a table, a computer, a TV set, and a messy bed. Rows of manga on the shelves. No posters or pictures anywhere. The air was stuffy.

Megumi almost pushed Tomoko onto the bed. "Lie down. You shouldn't be up when you're sick! Let me open the window."

Tomoko sat down onto the bed and hung her head down. "Sorry ... thank you ..." she whispered.

"Ah, that's better!" Megumi exclaimed, when a breeze of fresh air came in. That made her remember a certain day a few weeks ago. To lighten up the mood, she tried to joke about it. Glancing at Tomoko over her shoulder, she grinned, and said, "Hey, remember how the wind pulled my skirt up the other day? That was embarrassing! I hope you didn't take an upskirt photo?"

Megumi only had a vague idea of the concept called "upskirt". So she didn't anticipate Tomoko's reaction. First, Tomoko's mouth fell open and the rest of any color Tomoko had on her face drained away. Next, her cheeks turned as red as tomatoes. A little gurgle came out of her mouth and she fell backwards onto the bed.

"Kuroki-san! Are you okay!" Megumi gasped and turned to her. It didn't look like Tomoko had fainted. For her eyes were still open, staring into space. She twitched a little as Megumi placed her hand onto Tomoko's forehead. "Gosh, you are burning hot. And looks like your pajamas and bed are damp. I'll find you a change of clothes and new sheets!"

Megumi turned around and walked up to the closet. "Do you keep your clothes here?" she asked. Weakly, Tomoko raised her head and tried to gurgle something. Megumi thought it sounded like a 'yes', so she yanked the closet door open.

Actually, Tomoko had tried to scream something like, "No matter what you do, never, ever open that closet!". A few DVD or game boxes fell out, as well as a short stick -like object. It clattered onto the floor, and rolled beyond Megumi's feet, making a whirring sound as it went.

"Oops, sorry about that," Megumi said, and started gathering the things. First thing she got her hand upon was a game box, with an image of a bishonen-style boy on the cover. Wearing only his underwear. The game was apparently called "Naked butlers". Megumi felt her cheeks burning and quickly returned the boxes back into the closet. Then, she bent down to pick up the thing that was making a whirring sound. "Handy Massage Machine," said the text in its handle. Megumi's cheeks turned a few degrees brighter red. She fumbled with the thing but was, for the moment, totally unable to find the switch which would turn the thing off.

She heard a crash and saw that Tomoko had fallen off the bed, face down onto the floor. Desperately, Megumi opened the battery box of the whirring thing and snatched one of the batteries out. She tossed everything back into the closet, and slammed its door shut.

Gently, she then knelt beside Tomoko. "Are you okay, Kuroki-san?" she asked softly.

Somehow, the consecutive mental shocks Tomoko had received had made her able to speak again. Maybe because nothing might ever be as embarrassing as this and she couldn't even feel shame about anything anymore.

"Yeah ... I'm fine ... a-about those things ..."

Megumi interrupted her. "It's my fault! I shouldn't have looked into your closet. And t-there's nothing wrong with m-m-mas-mas- ..."

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"It's not like I ma- ... masturbate!" Tomoko groaned. "I don't even know ..."

For the next two weeks, they just listened to the cicadas. It was probably just a minute or two, but it felt like two weeks.

Until Megumi started babbling nervously. "L-let's forget about that! Where can I find clean clothes for you? And clean sheets? And where's your medicine? ... no, don't get up! I will bring them. Oh, and I brought presents for you ... I mean, I bought school papers. Well, I did bring presents too ..."

"Sheets are in that drawer and clothes in that other closet ..." Tomoko said, and started climbing back onto the bed. She was finally able to talk, but she wasn't yet able to look at Megumi. Besides, she was feeling a lot sicker now. "T-trashcan ..." she gasped.

"What?" Megumi asked.

"Quickly ... something ..." Tomoko croaked.

Megumi was still too distraught to be able to react in time.

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"I'm so sorry ..." Tomoko whispered. She was sitting on her bed, hanging her head down. The sour smell was still lingering in the air.

"Never mind. At least it all went onto the floor and not into the bed!" Megumi said, smiling again. She had taken off her blazer and was wearing an apron she had found, and a scarf to hold her hair back while cleaning.

Tomoko took a quick, shy glance at her. _"Darn ... she looks amazingly hot even dressed like that ... oh why am I so short and ugly ..."_ she thought.

"I'll just wash these and be right back," Megumi exclaimed, and went out of the room, carrying away the bucket and the rags.

Tomoko realized that besides the sour smell, something else in her room stunk as well. _"It's me. I stink ... I haven't bathed since yesterday ... but I can't bathe as long as she is here! But what if she smells me ..."_

Megumi returned, carrying a vase full of flowers. "Here's something to cheer you up. I brought you flowers."

"T-thanks ..." Tomoko whispered. Feeling obliged, she looked at the flowers. "Lilies?"

At first, Megumi didn't realize what was wrong. "Oh! Sorry about that. I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have bought lilies ..."

"I-it's okay ..." Tomoko said. "Really."

Neither of them would ever know they were thinking of completely different things. Megumi was thinking that lilies were more appropriate for funerals and not as gifts, especially for a sick person, while Tomoko was thinking of the name of the flowers - _yuri._

"Oh, I forgot the other thing! Just a moment!" Megumi exclaimed, and scurried away again.

While she was gone, Tomoko started to panic again. _"Why did she bring those flowers? Is she asking whether I like girls? Is she going to hug me or something? I smell awful ... what can I do?"_

Tomoko had thrown away the perfume she once had. Desperately, she grabbed a couple of lilies and rubbed herself everywhere under her shirt. _"I hope this works like perfume..."_

"I'm back!" Megumi exclaimed through the door.

"C-come in..." Tomoko said.

Grinning widely, Megumi showed Tomoko the basket of fruits. The thing that caught Tomoko's eye, however, was Megumi's chest. She had taken off the apron and her school tie and, possibly by accident, at least three of the top buttons of her shirt were open. Tomoko tried to smile, but she felt jealous. _"Her boobs are almost as big as Yuu-chan's...oh, she's looking at me! Did she notice?"_

Megumi had indeed noticed. She was used to it, however. Eyes of boys, and even most girls, seemed to get fixated at certain parts of her body. Besides, she kind of wanted Tomoko to look. _"Maybe that will also cheer her up?"_

Not that Tomoko looked very cheerful. Not flowers, not the basket nor Megumi's chest seemed to do much good. Obviously, Tomoko tried to smile, but her eyes weren't smiling.

_"Maybe she's ready to talk?"_ Megumi thought, and placed the basket on the table. Without even asking permission, she sat down on the bed beside Tomoko. The underclassman twitched and almost jumped away from her. She also had that deer-in-headlights expression again.

"So …" Megumi started, trying to think of a subject.

Tomoko just stared at her. She had again forgotten how to talk. Not that she was good at small talk anyway. Or with any sort of talking.

"Ah!" Megumi gasped. "There's the 'future plans' form among those papers. Do you have any plans on what you want to do after high school, Kuroki-san?"

"Uh, no …" Tomoko managed to whisper.

Megumi had guessed what the answer would likely be, so she was prepared. "Oh? But you want to go to university, don't you?"

"I … don't know …"

Megumi smiled. She wasn't going to give up that easily. "Well, you've got plenty of time to decide. What's your favorite subject at school?"

Since Imae-senpai wasn't obviously going to leave her in peace, and since Tomoko, deep down actually wanted her to be here, talking to her, and sharing a bed with her – yeah, technically they were sharing a bed now! – Tomoko actually started thinking of an answer. "Math!" she answered.

"Oh? That's unusual. I mean, girls don't often like math, for what I know. Why do you like math?"

It hurt Tomoko's head, and she was itching all over, but she forced herself to keep talking. "Because it's solitary … no group works. And for some reason it feel easy for me …"

_"Why did I say that! Now Imae-senpai will think I have no friends at all and that I am a loner,"_ Tomoko thought.

Megumi's smile froze. "You have trouble making friends, don't you?"

The question came so quickly that Tomoko answered "Yes" without thinking. Also, the itch was distracting her thoughts. Her chest, sides, and armpits were on fire and she squirmed.

Her senpai looked puzzled. "What's wrong, Kuroki-san?"

Tomoko lifted her shirt and saw that her skin was covered with pale red, raised bumps, which were burning and itching. "Eek! What's this!" Tomoko yelled.

"Take your shirt off!" Megumi commanded.

Obediently, Tomoko pulled her shirt off; she didn't even think of the embarrassment of being half-naked in front of Imae-senpai. It was an ugly sight. Most of Tomoko's upper body was covered with the ugly rash. All the areas she had rubbed with those flowers, as Tomoko realized. "T-the flowers…!" she gasped.

"What, are you allergic? That looks more like urticaria, though," Megumi said, staying calm and professional. She actually had some knowledge, since she was aiming to become a doctor.

"Urti-what?" Tomoko gasped. "Am I going to die? Do we need an ambulance?"

"Did you have this earlier today?"

"N-no…"

"Then it is urticaria. And it's not serious – unless you have trouble breathing?"

Tomoko shook her head.

"Okay. Do you have any antihistamines around here?" Megumi asked, standing up. "Also, I need your parents' phone number."

"Medicine cabin is in the kitchen … a-are you calling them? Mom will be furious if she has to –"

"No, I'm just asking if I can stay here overnight. I can't leave you alone," Megumi interrupted, smiling at her kouhai.

For some reason, this really touched something inside Tomoko. Her jaw twitched, and she had to hold back tears. "I-I'll write down the number …"

"Okay. Meanwhile, I'll check if I can find any medicine. And, I'll take those flowers away. Sorry that I didn't know that you were allergic."

"No, it's okay!" Tomoko quickly exclaimed. "I didn't know it either…"

After her senpai had left the room, carrying the vase, Tomoko muttered, "And you didn't know I would rub myself with those plants … that was so stupid …"

Despite being worried about Kuroki-san, Megumi happily hummed some tune while she rummaged through Kurokis' medicine cabin. She was happy because she was getting to know her kouhai. Ugly rash or not, she also still thought Kuroki-san was very cute. And she got to see her without a shirt! She had a nice, lean body. Small breasts, as expected, but a nice pair nevertheless, under that cute white bra. _"Maybe we need to take the bath together? Since Kuroki-san is sick, I can't let her go alone!"_ Megumi thought. _"And I'm going to spend the entire night with her! Of course, I need to sleep in her room and …"_

Her cheeks were burning and she knew she was blushing. Things were developing quickly and she was a bit embarrassed about all the perverted thoughts she was already having. But it would be completely inappropriate to take advantage of Kuroki-san! She was her kouhai, and she was also sick and helpless. _"Yes, I must not think of kissing those bud-like lips and that slender neck, sticking my tongue into her every orifice in the bathroom, or doing her in her bed all night."_

"What am I thinking!" Megumi gasped. But she didn't really feel as guilty as she knew she should have. She forced herself to stop grinning widely. _"My school and Kuroki-san's parents trust me. I must behave!"_

The fact Tomoko had not put her shirt back on made it even harder.

"This is just a travel sickness pill, but it contains antihistamines," Megumi explained, and handed the pill to Tomoko. She knew that it would have the placebo effect if nothing else; also, it wouldn't harm Kuroki-san.

"T-thanks …" Tomoko muttered. "And the number is on the table."

Tomoko slipped the pill into her mouth and took the glass of water Megumi was handing her.

After Tomoko had swallowed the medicine, Megumi asked, "So, have you eaten anything today?"

"No …" Tomoko said quietly. She was shivering a bit.

_"May I warm you up with my body?"_ Megumi asked. Or that's what she _wanted_ to say. Instead, she said, "Are you cold? Get under the covers. After I call your mom, I'll fix you something – if they let me stay, that is. Is rice porridge okay?"

Tomoko nodded, lied down and pulled the cover over her cute – but rash-covered – torso.

Megumi took out her cell phone and typed in the number Tomoko had written. After quite a few 'beeps', a woman's voice answered. "Moshi moshi" – "Mrs. Kuroki?" – "Yes, who is this?" – "This is student council president Megumi Imae. Sorry to call you like this, but I came to your house to deliver some school documents to Kuroki-san … Tomoko, I mean … since she had been absent. While I was here, she had an allergic reaction. It's nothing serious, but if it's okay with you, I'd like to spend the night here, just in case."

There was a long silence at the other end. Then, "May I talk to Tomoko, please?"

Megumi handed the phone over to Tomoko, who mostly just listened to it, saying "Yes," and "No," a few times. Finally, Tomoko handed the phone back. Mrs. Kuroki said, "Of course you may stay. You are a very reliable young woman."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kuroki-san. I will take good care of Kuroki-san. I mean, Tomoko-san. Good bye!"

"Good bye, Imae-san."

Megumi closed the phone. "This is exciting. It's like a sleepover. Or a pajama party!"

Tomoko pulled the covers back over her and stared at her wide-eyed.

"Ha ha! Just kidding! It's not like a party. Not that it's not fun, being here with you," Megumi quickly explained. _"Crap, that sounded weird as well!"_ she thought.

Tomoko looked more scared than weirded out, though. "I-I'm very thankful to you … for all the trouble you are having … just f-for my sake …" Tomoko whispered.

"Ah, it's my duty and my pleasure to help all my fellow students!" Megumi exclaimed. "Ah! The … the food! I was going to make rice porridge. Are you okay in here? Do you need anything before I go to the kitchen?"

"… I'm fine …" Tomoko said quietly.

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With Megumi away for a longer time, Tomoko finally had time to calm down, arrange her thoughts, and her feelings. Since the doorbell rang, it had felt mostly like a blur, with too much happening, too quickly. She was still itching and concentrating on something else helped her avoid too much scratching.

_"Senpai is so energetic, so competent, so popular, so beautiful, and she had such a great ass and big boobs …so why? Why is she being so nice to me? I'm nobody and a freshman. She's the top dog of the whole school. Realistically, she shouldn't care about me at all. So … she doesn't care about me, yet she's even staying the night for my sake. Or that's what she says."_

Maybe mom promised her money? No, they didn't discuss anything like that over the phone. And she's not going to steal anything. That's unthinkable for most Japanese people, let alone high school student council presidents.

_"Also, I don't think she's an assassin sent to kill me…"_

So, the only possible answer would be that she was doing this for credit. She's playing a saint. This is probably taken into account when she's applying for university. _"She'll claim she saved my life or something."_

"Yeah, that's it. She's polishing her resume. As if miss Perfect needed that," Tomoko muttered aloud, with quite a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

Unfortunately Miss Perfect, Megumi Imae, was just behind the door, for she had returned to ask Tomoko about something.

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Not sure if Tomoko's class was 1-C and whether her address was ever even mentioned. So I made those up. I'll fix them later.

Don't attempt to treat urticaria with the information given in this fic. This is not a medical guide. :P

I keep writing Tomoko as "Tomoe" and Kuroki-san as "Kuroi-san". I definitely know where Kuroi-san comes from, but who is this "Tomoe"? I don't follow any anime or manga which has a character called Tomoe. (And indeed I haven't watched Madoka yet.)


	2. Chapter 2

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 2**

Second part of senpai's visit to her cute kouhai's house.

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Megumi froze outside Tomoko's door. With a heroic effort, she stayed quiet, turned around and quietly sneaked away. _"She just doesn't know me yet … she doesn't know that I'm not perfect. If I was perfect, words wouldn't hurt me... And she doesn't yet know that I like her. I really, really like her and I'm not doing this for credit."_

Trying to smile and to think happy thoughts and cute things, Megumi went back to cooking. Since she couldn't ask Tomoko whether they had leftover rice, she cooked rice porridge from scratch. It wasn't any harder to do but it would take a longer time. Since they had a cooker with 'okayu' setting, she only needed to wash the rice, put it on, and come to finish with some salt and garnishes an hour later.

Though, she also hesitated to return to Tomoko's room to wait. It would feel awkward. But if she told Tomoko what she had heard, would that be any less awkward? Being an honest person, Megumi decided to tell Tomoko. "Good relationships are built on honest communication!" she muttered. _"Maybe I shouldn't think aloud. It's obviously risky …"_

It took nearly an hour before the porridge was cooked. Megumi sat at the kitchen table and leafed through one of her school books, but she didn't even know what she was reading, being deep in thought.

Upstairs, she made sure she made enough noise so that Tomoko would hear her coming. Outside the door, she yelled, "Yahoo, Kuroki-san! I'm coming in!" Putting the tray onto the floor first, she slid the door open.

Tomoko was sitting on the bed, wrapped in blanket, smiling weakly at her. "The rash is almost gone … thank you …" she whispered.

"Let's get you into clean sheets while the porridge cools down just a bit?" Megumi suggested. Tomoko instantly blushed, thinking she would have to strip naked in front of senpai. Also, there was something odd about Megumi. Her smile seemed a bit … forced. _"What's this?"_ Tomoko thought. _"Is she starting to show her true colors?"_

Megumi rummaged through the other closet, not the one that had a vibrator, and found a plain bathrobe. "Wear this until we go to the bath," she said, tossing the robe to Tomoko.

The kouhai was so shocked by this line and its implications that she failed to catch the cloth and had to pick it up from the floor. Megumi didn't notice, she was already looking for clean pillowcase and sheets. As she turned around, Tomoko was still sitting on bed, squeezing the bathrobe in her hands. "Stand up and get changed! I'll change the sheets," Megumi commanded. Then, she winked an eye. "There's nothing I haven't seen before. We are both girls. Besides, I'm not going to look."

As Megumi was taking the old sheets away, she noted, "Weird, there are two crumpled flowers back here. Wonder how they got here?" She then picked up two rather worn-out lilies from behind the bed, lifted them up to her nose and inhaled. "Aren't these the ones I brought? They still smell nice."

"Ewwww!" Tomoko yelled. "Eh?" Megumi asked. "… I, just … don't smell them … they were on the floor!" – _"Don't smell them because I rubbed myself with them!"_ Tomoko screamed in her mind, but of course she couldn't say that.

Megumi shrugged her shoulders, put the flowers in the trashcan, and resumed changing the sheets.

Just as Tomoko was most vulnerable – she had just taken off her bra and panties, Megumi said, "I heard you call me Miss Perfect."

Fortunately Megumi had kept her promise and was not looking. Her back was turned to Tomoko. So she didn't see the shock and embarrassment.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that!" Tomoko gasped.

"I don't blame you … you don't know me yet … and I may appear a bit overbearing. I just barged in your home and forgot even to tell you _why_ I was here in the first place. Your homeroom teacher asked me to drop off some school papers," Megumi explained. Forgetting the situation, she turned around, and saw that Tomoko had likewise forgotten to wear the bathrobe. _At all._

Megumi's eyes widened and her jaw fell open, but she couldn't stop herself from staring. Tomoko let out a little scream, and the bathrobe slipped from her fingers. "Sorry!" Megumi gasped, but she forgot to stop staring, while Tomoko frantically picked up the bathrobe and wrapped it around herself.

After a few more awkward seconds of silence, Megumi cleared her throat. "So … why don't you sit down at the table? I've got the porridge right here … somewhere …"

Megumi's heart was pounding, her legs were trembling a bit, and she felt her cheeks burning.

"Here you are," Megumi said, placing the tray on the table in front of Tomoko, who had obediently sat down, hanging her head down in embarrassment.

"Now you know how bad person I am …" Tomoko muttered. "I'm not nice and kind like you…"

"I'm not that nice!" Megumi replied. "You don't know how _I _sometimes think about other people."

_"Such as the perverted thoughts I have about you,"_ Megumi added in her mind. "And I'm not kind … I just do my duty as a student council president. If I didn't have this duty, I might not be at all helpful as a person."

This wasn't strictly true. Megumi had always wanted to help people. That's why she was aiming to become a doctor.

Tomoko's stomach growled and she realized she was ravenously hungry. She had not eaten much today and even those instant noodles had been ejected from her stomach earlier today. Mechanically, Tomoko took a spoon and put some porridge into her mouth. "Delicious," she muttered. And it was, tasty, soft, salted just right, and just at the correct temperature, warming and filling Tomoko's tummy._"Of course. It's Miss Perfect, why wouldn't her cooking be perfect as well?"_

"Oh! Thanks! You know, I'm not really that good with cooking. I tried making curry earlier this year and the pot exploded," Megumi explained.

Tomoko glared at her from under her brow.

"Honestly! It did!" Megumi assured.

To Tomoko, that only made Megumi even more perfect. A girl who makes pots explode … that's just awesome. Tomoko herself only managed to burn the food, or over-spice it, or fail at some other mundane, boring way.

"While you are eating, I'll check the bath. Did you put the heater on?" Megumi asked.

"N-no … I haven't bathed for two days," Tomoko blurted before thinking. "I mean, because I was ill! Normally I do …"

Tomoko twitched when Megumi suddenly placed her palm on her forehead. "Your fever seems to have gone down. We should take a nice, long bath. I'll do you good!"

_"We!?"_ Tomoko thought, her eyes widening. "Uh, I-I don't know … n-not that I mind! I mean, is it really appropriate? We haven't really known each other for that long … I know there's nothing you haven't seen before …"

_"Not any more, there isn't!"_ Tomoko groaned in her thoughts.

"What, do you mean we should take a bath together?" Megumi gasped. Her cheeks suddenly turned as red as tomatoes, and she tried not to start panting. "O-of course, if you wish…it's okay with me…"

"No, I didn't mean that! I thought _you_ said…" Tomoko gasped.

"Ah," Megumi sighed.

_"She's disappointed?!"_ Tomoko thought.

"Sorry, I misunderstood!" Megumi said quickly. "I wasn't thinking of anything like that!"

_"Anything like WHAT?!"_ Tomoko thought, staring wide-eyed at Megumi.

"Uh, anyway … I'll go check the bath, then!" Megumi explained, and scurried off.

When Megumi was gone, Tomoko resumed eating. Such a simple dish, but it so delicious! Tomoko realized she had been eating only instant noodles for two days.

The last conversation had been really weird. She imagined senpai saying, _"Do you know what time it is…?"_ and then doing unspeakable things to her body. _"Yeah, right. As if I was even worth raping. Nobody would do even __that__ to me. I almost wish someone did. I deserve it. And at least I'd lose my virginity…" _

In the bathroom, Megumi was giggling to herself. "That was embarrassing. Taking a bath with Kuroki-san … yeah, it's a bit too early for that. When we'll get to know each other better. Or maybe I'll use the excuse? 'I can't let you go alone because you're still sick?' Naah … can't do that. She seems bit scared of me already. She'd think I plan to do something to her."

Smiling, or more like grinning widely, and humming a tune to herself, Megumi checked the bathwater and turned the heater up. "Should be good in an hour," she muttered.

"So exciting, this sleepover. Like a 'sleepover episode' my classmates were talking about. I guess Kuroki-san watches anime more than me, though. I wonder what usually happens in such an episode? Is that what they call 'hentai'?"

Megumi returned to Tomoko's room, making sure she made enough noise to warn her kouhai beforehand. "The water needs to heat up a bit more. I found clean towels. How's the food?"

"Delicious," Tomoko admitted. "Thank you very much, senpai …"

Megumi sat down onto the bed and faced Tomoko. "How are you feeling? Do you need to lie down?"

"I feel much better now, thanks. It's fine," Tomoko answered. Megumi looked at her expectantly, but Tomoko couldn't think of anything else to say. Nothing cool or interesting, that is.

So Megumi felt it was her responsibility to carry on the conversation. "Since you are an expert with these kinds of things, Kuroki-san, can you tell me something? What usually happens in hentai 'sleepover episode'?"

Tomoko had been rocking her chair, and this question took her by surprise. So much surprise, in fact, that she fell backwards and crashed on the floor.

"Oh!" Megumi gasped, and rushed to help Tomoko. "Did you hurt yourself? Are you okay?"

"I … fine …" Tomoko croaked. "W-what were you asking?!"

Tomoko's bathrobe had fallen open, which distracted Megumi considerably, but she managed to lift the chair and her kouhai up, saying, "I asked about anime. I haven't watched much hentai, you know, and –"

"Hentai and anime … it's not the same thing!" Tomoko groaned.

"Oh? It isn't?"

Tomoko rolled her eyes. "Are you serious!? … … what, you _are_ serious!" she gasped, noticing Megumi's expression.

This was something Tomoko could never have imagined. She knew _more_ about something than Imae-senpai! This lifted up her spirits considerably.

"Yeah, well, I think I've only watched D*raem*n in the daycare when I was a kid. My parents don't approve television so I never really watch hen-, I mean, anime …" Megumi explained.

"You don't even have a television?" Tomoko gasped.

"Nope. And I was only allowed to read educational manga."

_"This girl is a saint … a saint I might be able to corrupt!"_ Tomoko thought. "Then I need to give you a lecture on about anime and manga!"

Due to internet, Megumi was well versed in many subjects, including many un-saintly ones, but hentai, anime, and manga were truly things she didn't know much about. It's not that she wasn't interested, but there always were so much other things to worry about that they hadn't been a priority.

"I'd love that, Kuroki-sensei," Megumi said jokingly, and grinned. "Should we take a bath first? …I mean, you take a bath first, then me."

"Y-you are a guest, so you must go first!" Tomoko gasped.

"Come on, you are sick, and I'm here to take care of you, so you go first!" Megumi commanded, handing Tomoko a towel.

Tomoko still tried to protest, but her resistance was fading quickly. "No…guests go first…"

"If you argue about this any longer, we'll have to go together!" Megumi exclaimed, wagging a finger at Tomoko. Her cheeks were now blushing a bit and there was a certain glint in her eyes.

Tomoko wasn't sure whether senpai was joking or not. Or whatever she was thinking! With an expression and a grin like that… "O-okay!" she gasped, quickly adding, "I mean, I'll go first, then…"

Had Tomoko known better, she would have sworn senpai looked disappointed again.

_"Do you need any help? May I wash your back?"_ Megumi wanted to ask, but she decided it would be too risky. Not that she was thinking of taking advantage of her cute kouhai. Not too much, at least. Certainly not any adult things. Probably. Slowly, she licked her lips when thinking of what could happen if she did lose control of herself. Megumi had seen a bit too much of Tomoko and that had stirred all sorts of weird thoughts in her mind.

Somehow senpai's weird expression and her blind stare made Tomoko shiver. Quickly, she scurried away and into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Just in case.

While Tomoko was taking a bath, Megumi wore the apron again, washed the dishes, and cleaned up the kitchen. She ate some of the leftover porridge, unwittingly using Tomoko's spoon. "Oops, heh heh," she giggled, as she noticed. "That was an indirect kiss, wasn't it? Also, I'll probably catch her flu."

Yet, she didn't regret it for a second.

Being curious, she peeked into the fridge and the various cupboards and closets. Nothing embarrassing fell out this time. But there were only some moldy leftovers, a wizened cucumber, and a half-full bottle of stale lemonade in the fridge. Apart from rice, flour, and other staples, the only thing resembling food was a few packages of instant noodles, and empty packages of them in the trash. "No wonder she gets sick, she isn't eating properly at all," Megumi sighed. _"Would she let me to make her a box lunch to school? No, that's probably not appropriate until she's my girlfriend."_

Megumi blushed as she realized what she had in her mind. _"Am I already thinking her as a future girlfriend? That can't happen. My parents would kick me out! Her parents too, probably."_

This wasn't Megumi's first crush on a girl, but probably the biggest one so far. Since kindergarten, she remembered being attracted to girls. Schoolmates, female teachers, idol girls, female athletes, female actors... Never before she had acted on it, or seriously thought that something could actually happen in between her and her crush. _"Stop, stop right now, Megumi Imae!"_ she commanded herself. This was wrong in so many levels. Student council president may not take advantage of her kouhai … not to mention love between girls which was not accepted or even really allowed in Japan. _"Besides, Kuroki-san only likes boys. I'm certain of that. She had that game which has nude boys in it …"_

Megumi heard a sound and turned around. Tomoko was coming out of the bathroom, wearing her bathrobe and having a towel wrapped around her head. She flinched as she saw her senpai. "Uh, sorry! … I mean, the bath is free now …"

"All right, you okay?"

"Y-yes …" Tomoko said quietly, finding something very interesting to stare at – on the floor.

"I'll go, then. Afterwards, if you feel up to it, you could give me that crash course on current anime and manga. But only if you aren't too tired!"

"I'm not tired … I'll come to your room later, then?"

"O-okay…"

_"At least she's talking to me now. Before today, she barely got a word out of her mouth…"_ Megumi thought and smiled at Tomoko. "We haven't talked about sleeping arrangements," Megumi was about to say, but Tomoko had already escaped upstairs. "I want to sleep with you," Megumi added, not really caring whether Tomoko heard it or not. Well, it was the truth. If they did, Megumi wasn't sure if she could control herself. _"Maybe we can sleep in the same room, at least. If we are not in the same bed, I can take it ...probably."_

In the bath, Megumi stoically resisted tasting the bathwater where Kuroko-san had just recently been soaking in. She was a bit shocked of all the thoughts that came to her mind the longer she spent time with the cute kouhai. She wondered if all the long years of self-restraint had turned her into a pervert.

In any case, she decided to fold all of her clothes and to go to Kuroki-san's room with only a towel wrapped around her. _"If this towel accidentally slips off, it would be only fair. After all, I already saw her…"_ was Megumi's reasoning for this. The real reason was that it just turned her on, being "dressed" like this with Kuroki-san close to her.

Tomoko was sitting at her computer, wearing a bathrobe, when Megumi entered the room. As she turned around, her eyes widened, and then she held her nose with another hand while frantically searching for something with the other.

"Hi, Kuroki-san, what's wrong?" Megumi asked.

"I-uh dust got a dosebleed," Tomoko mumbled, pinching her nostrils.

"Aww. That may happen after a hot bath … or when you have a flu," Megumi explained, pretending not to know the other reason young people sometimes get nosebleeds. _"Oh yeah, she likes me! Or my body at least,"_ she thought._ "…I would give you my body if you just asked!"_

Tomoko finally found a tissue in the top drawer of the desk and stuffed it up her nose. Only at that point she realized it was not a tissue but a sanitary napkin. Megumi couldn't control herself anymore, she just had to laugh. "So-sorry, but that was just too funny! … don't be embarrassed. After all, it's used for the same thing –" she gasped in between giggles.

They looked at each other for a few awkward seconds, both blushing bright red.

Tomoko noticed senpai's breasts jiggled when she laughed, which didn't exactly help with her nosebleed. Eventually, and with a packet of actual tissues Megumi found, they did manage to staunch the river of blood gushing from Tomoko's nose.

"Okay, looks like it's stopped now. Do you feel okay? Do you need to lie down?" Megumi asked.

Tomoko forced her gaze away from Megumi's cleavage, and answered, "No, I'm fine … so, you wanted to know about anime and manga?"

"Oh yes! Are we using the computer?"

As Tomoko nodded, Megumi took the other chair and sat down beside Tomoko. Close to her, with her bare thigh brushing against her kouhai. Tomoko twitched, but didn't pull away. She had more important things in her mind for the moment, namely what she would dare to tell and show to this rookie. "So … we'd better skip things like Comiket, and start from the basics…" she muttered.

"What is 'Comiket'?" Megumi asked innocently.

Tomoko turned to look at her with disbelief. "What is … you know, this is going to be a long night."

Megumi snuggled even a bit closer to Tomoko. "I don't mind. It's Friday night and I don't have school tomorrow… so I can stay up a little longer. Unless you are too tired?"

"No, I'm fine. You were asking about Comiket. Well, …"

That took some time to explain. Tomoko didn't have the nerve to ask senpai to come with her to next Comiket, thought. And Megumi didn't think of asking her about that.

After Tomoko explained the "basics", for as much as she could or dared, they watched a few episodes of "K-*n!" among other things. Tomoko had chosen it because it wasn't too weird nor too otaku-ish. And there wasn't any real _yuri_ in it. Tomoko was certain that senpai was completely normal and heterosexual, not a total weirdo like Tomoko herself, so she tried to avoid showing her anything risky.

The next few hours were probably the best Tomoko had had for several years. She had so much genuine fun showing senpai the world of anime and manga – even the tame ones. Tomoko even forgot about all the embarrassments for the time.

Finally they couldn't keep their eyes open and Megumi's head started to droop. Cautiously, Tomoko nudged her and she flinched awake. "I'm getting really sleepy … maybe we should get to bed?" senpai asked.

Tomoko yawned as well. "Yeah … I'll get the guest futon, you can sleep on my bed."

"Nonsense! You are still sick. If you sleep on the floor, you'll have a relapse. I am aiming for medical school, so I know about these things. And, as the student council president, I _order_ you to sleep on your bed!" Megumi decreed. _"Aren't you even asking me to share the bed with you?"_ Megumi tried to say telepathically. Of course, she knew she wouldn't be able to do that, it would be too risky, but she wanted Kuroki-san to _ask_ at least. As a responsible, reliable person taking care of her sick kouhai, she couldn't even dream of making such a suggestion herself. It would have been totally inappropriate.

Tomoko sighed deeply, but she knew she had been defeated. Senpai outranked her, and was clearly in charge for now. The thought of sharing her bed didn't even occur to her … well, it did, actually, but she knew that senpai would _never_ agree to that and even suggesting it would just end up in another embarrassment. _"She would think I'm a child, too afraid to sleep alone."_

So Megumi ended up on the guest futon, which was right beside Tomoko's bed, at least.

"Good night, Kuroki-san," Megumi whispered after she had turned the lights off and lied down. _"I wish she would ask me to call her Tomoko…then she would have to call me Megumi!"_ she thought.

"Good night, Imae-senpai," Tomoko whispered back, very quietly. _"I wish I could just call her Megumi. Then we would really seem like friends,"_ she thought. _"Maybe I could even start calling her Megumi at school and people would see how I was friends with the shot caller! … nah, this will never happen. She's so much above my level…"_

Unless they had been so tired, both would have stayed awake; Tomoko, because all of the embarrassments would come back to her; and Megumi, because she was sleeping with her cute kouhai.

At the morning, Megumi "forgot" she was naked – she had simply put away the towel when she went to sleep and not worn anything else – and Tomoko woke up as her senpai was yawning and stretching herself in the bright sunlight coming in even through the blinds and curtains Tomoko had on her window.

"Good morning!" Megumi chirped, apparently oblivious to her lack of any clothes. Of course, Megumi was perfectly aware of that. She had decided she would have to give Tomoko a good look, pretending it was accidental, in return for yesterday's "show" by Tomoko. This was the most racy thing she dared to do, for now.

"Ti-tissues! I need …" Tomoko gasped, having another episode of severe nosebleed.

Mercifully, Megumi wrapped the towel around herself before rushing to help her kouhai.

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"Thank you again for everything …" Tomoko said quietly.

It was after breakfast – consisting mostly of rice and tea, since there had not been anything else. Both girls were standing outside the front door.

Megumi turned around for one last time. "I should be thanking you. I learned a lot! … oh, by the way, when is your first period?"

Tomoko's jaw fell open and she just stared at senpai for a few seconds. Why on Earth was she asking about _that_? Didn't she know how embarrassing these things are? Anyway, she muttered an answer. "Uh, I t-think I was twelve years old when I had that…"

"Oh!" Megumi gasped. "I meant your first period at school! At Monday."

Of course Tomoko misunderstood the question, as she had been thinking of that sanitary napkin incident. This was probably the final in Tomoko's coffin. Could anything ever be more embarrassing than this?!

So, she could calmly answer, "Oh that. Eight o'clock, I think."

She didn't even bother to ask why senpai was asking her that. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.

"Well, I have to go now. Good bye, Kuroki-san. And thank you, again! I got to see something beautiful!" she said, smiling her most radiant smile at Tomoko. Then she turned around and started cycling away.

_"What did she mean by that?"_ Tomoko wondered. She returned inside, slammed the front door close, and started tearing her hair out.

"…something beautiful… Aaaaargh! What irony! That was the most embarrassing night I have _ever_ had in my entire life!" she shouted at the empty house.

Every burning, embarrassing detail of her humiliation returned to her. Senpai finding her massager and the Naked butler game, admitting she had no friends, vomiting onto the floor, senpai having to clean up her puke, the rash she got from the flowers, calling senpai "Miss Perfect" while thinking aloud, the wardrobe malfunction, her nosebleeds and stuffing a sanitary napkin in her nose … and that last misunderstanding! That had really been the final icing on the embarrassment cake.

Truly, Tomoko had now been ultimately exposed in all her lowliness, in more than one way, in thousand ways! All the humiliation of the night far outweighed the few good moments they had had. Yes, even having seen Megumi's utterly amazing body for a moment…

"If senpai tells people about me … how can I show my face at school ever again!? Will they let me transfer to another school?" she cried.

Deep down, Tomoko knew Imae-senpai wouldn't gossip. But for now Tomoko just wanted to wallow in self-pity.

_"At least it's all over now. She's graduating in a few months. I'll never see her again. And, of course, she will never want to see me again either. I'll never have any friends anyway. I should just lock myself in my room and never come out."_

A sound plan, but there was one problem: mom would never allow it. _"Mom would hit me until I went to school. And I can't just let her beat me to death, because I can't take the pain."_

"So. I'll just go to school and die of shame, then," Tomoko muttered.

Her lips curled into a weak smile. _"As if! ... I'm sure I have to suffer a lot more before I get that lucky…"_

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In first chapter, Megumi completely forgot to explain _why_ she was at Kuroki's place. Normally she would have done so. So I decided that Miss Perfect indeed forgot, and she explains it now.

There was at least one typo as well…can't find it at the moment.

_Okayu_ (お粥), Japanese rice porridge, or congee, is usually made of leftover rice. It's often served to the ill, and that's why Megumi suggested it.

Note that in Japanese high school they sometimes _do_ have school at Saturdays as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 3**

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Sunday, Tomoko's parents and brother returned from their trip. She didn't really tell them anything else other than that Imae-senpai had visited her, which they already knew. Next two nights, Tomoko had trouble sleeping, thinking of all that had happened and what she had seen.

So, Monday morning at Haramaku, she was very tired, had black circles under her eyes, and messy hair. She shambled along the pathway towards the main doors, hanging her head down. Whenever she heard someone laughing, she assumed they were laughing at her. Everybody probably knew now what a loser she was, about the things she hid in her closet, the fact she had no friends at all, and so on and so on …

Then, she heard someone calling her. "Kuroki-san!"

Surprised, she turned around and saw Imae-senpai. "Hi, Kuroki-san. No time to talk now, but want to have lunch with me today?"

Tomoko had to rub her eyes. It really was Imae-senpai. Talking to her. At school. Asking her to have lunch with her. In public. What, did senpai really feel obliged that much? Senpai just visited her while she was sick. And she was all well now. Why would she do anything more?

So, Tomoko bowed deeply and gasped, "Oh, please, you don't have to bother!"

She looked around; a few people were actually watching, so she lowered her voice into a whisper. "I'm all well now, and you don't have to look after me anymore! You must have lunch with your friends and classmates."

"But _you_ are my friend! And I am your friend!" Megumi exclaimed.

Tomoko's eyes widened. Then, her jaw twitched. She felt as if she was going to break down in pieces, so she turned around and ran away as fast as she could. Fortunately the first bell was ringing, indicating that class would start soon. So, maybe senpai would think she was just afraid of being late.

"Hey, where are you going …" she heard Megumi saying, but soon she was out of speaking – and shouting – range.

Somehow Tomoko was able to hold herself together, just barely. In the first years' hallway, nobody turned to look at her, which, for today, was a blessing. She wasn't sure if she was actually crying but her eyes were probably red.

_"Yeah, what a joke,"_ Tomoko thought, slumping at her desk and burying her face into her arms. _"Like she would like to be my friend. That was probably just a part of some elaborate scam … for what?"_

She couldn't think of anything. So, maybe, just maybe – chance: from slim to none – that senpai had actually meant it! Nobody had _ever_ said to her, _"I am your friend"_. Well, maybe Yuu-chan had. But she doesn't count.

_"No, she didn't mean it. She definitely didn't mean it. Miss Perfect was just polishing her resume again … she didn't deny it the last time, did she? Or perhaps it was just pity. That's it, she pities me, a loser with no friends," _Tomoko thought. She absolutely couldn't believe anyone _wanted_ to be her friend. Especially a second-year, nope.

Now the matter was finally, completely, and utterly resolved. Nobody looked at her and everyone in class had ignored her, as expected. Things were clearly returned back to normal. Just that nagging feeling remained. But that would go away. She hoped. Was this any different from all the other nagging feelings she always had? Yes, no, maybe. Everything always went from bad to worse and this wasn't an exception. Tomoko just slumbed down at her desk and wondered how many years she could take it. _"Probably for the rest of my life, like all losers."_

At lunchtime, Tomoko was a bit concerned that the duty-bound senpai would come looking for her. That's why she left the classroom as quickly as she could, carrying her lunch _bento_.

She walked and walked, without watching where she was going, as long as it was away from second-year's wing, until she found herself in a seemingly abandoned part of the school. Indeed, she remembered that one wing of the school was not used at the moment. _"Like the one where they had the club rooms in Suz*miya H*aruhi…"_

One of the side passages was dark. Maybe a fuse had been blown or they just hadn't replaced the burnt lamps. Tomoko hid in the shadows, and sat down into a corner. Nobody would find her here. Years later, they would find only a schoolgirl skeleton, wearing tattered remains of a school uniform. "Wish I had bought a gun. Or a rope. I think dying of thirst and hunger is really painful…" she muttered.

She wasn't really serious. _"I will die in this place"_ was just one of the sad little games she played alone when she felt particularly lonely. So far, this was one of the best ones – finding such a dreary, gloomy, dark, and utterly lonely place. She dared even to cry, sob and whimper a bit, since nobody would hear her in this place. Since her eyes were already red from lack of sleep, it didn't matter.

Before she had time to really indulge in it, her cell phone begun to vibrate – at school, she never had the ringtone on – and she had to brace up. _"Oh, it's Yuu-chan…"_

Yuu-chan sometimes called her at lunchtime. Normally it was great, because others would then see that she actually had friends who even called her. In this place, this was just a waste. Well, at least she had something to brag about to her now. "Moshi moshi, Yuu-chan?" she answered. "No, nothing special … having lunch soon …"

They exchanged a few meaningless phrases, until Tomoko had a chance to tell her. "Oh, by the way. I have a new girlfriend now! I even slept with her!"

She didn't mention that Imae-senpai wasn't really her friend and that they had just slept in the same room and nothing more. Still, it was technically true that they had 'slept together' so she wasn't lying to Yuu-chan.

"Wait a moment," Tomoko whispered. She thought she had heard something. Someone running away? No, just her imagination. She resumed the conversation.

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As the lunch hour started, Megumi Imae had indeed taken her lunch box with her, gone to class 1-C and asked about Kuroki-san. One of her classmates, some glasses-wearing girl, said Tomoko had left the classroom and 'gone that way', pointing at a direction.

Megumi followed her, and asked people whether they had seen Kuroki-san. Though, she quickly found out that it was easier to ask whether they had seen 'a short girl with black hair and dark rings under her eyes' than asking Kuroki-san by her name. Eventually she tracked Tomoko down to the unused wing of the school.

The place was empty and silent, so Megumi begun walking quietly and listening to any sounds. _"Why did she come here? She knew I wanted to have lunch with her…or I think she knew."_

Then, she heard _'Moshi moshi, Yuu-chan?'_ from a dark side passage where the lights had faded. _"Ah, there she is!"_

Just as Megumi was about to call out, she heard what Kuroki-san said over the phone. "I have a new girlfriend now! I even slept with her!"

Megumi staggered backwards and leaned onto the wall. _"So Kuroki-san WAS into girls! … and she is already having s-s-…!"_

She couldn't finish the thought. She didn't even _want_ to think about it. Too late, she had been too late! Someone else had already taken the cute kouhai! _"Of course … she was so popular among the girls …"_ There was this terrible pain in her chest. _"So this is how you feel when your heart breaks…"_

She turned around and ran away, trying to hold back her tears.

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Tomoko didn't see Imae-senpai for the next few days. Not that she expected to see her. _"Just as I thought. Senpai didn't really care about me. She didn't really want to be my friend,"_ she thought, shrugged her shoulders, and forgot about it. This was nothing new to her – never making any new friends.

Anyway, Tomoko felt slightly better. She thought: _"I got to see something beautiful and I had a couple of hours of fun"_; and _"And at least she leaves me alone and doesn't bother me anymore."_

The empty feeling inside was still there, but that was something she was used to. She would never have a friend like Imae-senpai anyway. Things like that just do not happen. How could she be friends with someone so smart, awesome, and beautiful, and with that kind of body!

Meanwhile, in Megumi's class, her classmates were worried about her. Megumi was unusually quiet, didn't smile at all, and spaced out in classes, something she usually never did.

The school was bursting with rumors about Imae-senpai. _"Some boy broke her heart!"_ they said. Nobody however seemed to know who this boy was. At first, it had been just speculation about love troubles, but quickly it turned into a "fact": Megumi's heart had been broken by a boy from another school. Everyone – except Megumi herself – heard this rumor.

When Tomoko heard people talking about it, she only thought, _"Serves her right." _At least someone else was miserable too. Even when it was a person she had kind of liked, just a bit. _"Strange, I thought she fancied girls, with the way she reacted to K-*n! and how she looked at me when – uh … guess I was wrong."_

So, the smart, awesome, and beautiful Megumi was depressed. She still performed all her duties to the letter, and was still a straight 'A' student, but now she rarely smiled, and talked much less than before. Her friends tried to support her in all the ways they could, but she just told them that she was okay and they didn't need to worry.

Meanwhile, there was a distinct lack of rumors about Tomoko Kuroki. Or, rather, this was the usual order of things. Few people ever noticed her or even remembered that Tomoko existed.

In the privacy of her room at home, Tomoko still found herself daydreaming about Imae-senpai while using her massager. Massaging her aching shoulders, that is – Tomoko had still never thought of using that thing at anywhere else. She tried to stop, because thinking about Imae-senpai was complete waste of time. She should have been thinking about game and anime characters as usual. They were safe and would never betray her, since they didn't really exist, and she could have any sorts of fantasies she wanted with them. Also, with the rumors, she could mostly just imagine senpai being ravaged by some high school boy. _"Damn it, she probably lost her virginity. That lucky bastard,"_ Tomoko thought. _"I wonder how it felt for the boy … I wish I was a boy. Everything is so much easier for boys."_

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A few days later, it was lunchtime. Megumi had her _bento_ with her, but she had to run a small student council errand before she could eat. So she found herself alone in the hallway. Instead of returning to her class, she decided to have lunch at that place where she heard Tomoko's fateful phone call. She didn't really know why, but she hoped it would make her feel better. She also wondered what it was like to have lunch alone somewhere. As far as she remembered, she had never done so during her entire school career.

The unused wing was as empty, cold, and dreary as she recalled it was. The side passage was still dark, the lights remaining broken. Megumi walked to the back of the place and sat down in a corner. She could see just enough to be able to eat. _"Itadakimasu,"_ she whispered to herself. But she just placed the bento beside her on the floor, leaned her head backwards, and closed her eyes. Today and she was feeling unusually tired and not hungry at all.

She woke up to someone yelping. "S-sorry!" someone gasped. Megumi opened her eyes and saw that it was Kuroki-san, trembling, and looking pale and badly shaken, and carrying a lunch box. "Y-you startled me! I didn't expect anyone to … I mean, I'm very sorry! I'm going elsewhere!" Tomoko stutterd, stumbling a step backwards.

"No, I –" Megumi got partially up, at first planning to leave this place for Tomoko, but she changed her mind. "…No. Sit down! Let's have lunch together, okay? I know you don't like me, but let's at least be friendly to each other."

"W-what?" Tomoko gasped, but since her legs were shaking after the scare she had had, she obediently sat down beside senpai. _"Why does she think I don't like her?"_ she wondered, but couldn't say anything about that.

Quietly, they started eating their lunch. Both were just nibbling at the rice, though, neither obviously having much appetite. Sighing, Megumi put her _bento_ away and turned to talk to Tomoko.

"Sorry that I haven't talked to you in a while," she started. "I accidentally heard you on a phone in here the other day, and I was just a bit shocked, I guess."

"Oh?" Tomoko said, not knowing the slightest what senpai was even talking about. She tried to remember what she had discussed with Yuu-chan and what part of it could be shocking, but she couldn't think of anything. _"Ah! Senpai is shocked because I actually have friends like Yuu-chan? That must be it!"_

"You didn't think I had anyone?" Tomoko asked.

"Yeah. Sorry that I didn't expect that you had … I somehow got the wrong impression and jumped into conclusions," Megumi said quietly.

"It's okay!" Tomoko quickly said. "I guess I seem like someone who doesn't have any friends like that. I bet _you_ have lots!"

Megumi was shocked. "No, not friends like that! I'm just sixteen, for heaven's sake."

Now, Tomoko was confused. What did her age have to do with this? Was she thinking of the boy who ditched her after violating her? But Tomoko pretended she didn't know about him. "What? You? You don't…? I'm really surprised! Considering how awesome you are…"

"What? You don't hate me? You think I'm awesome? … I wish we had met earlier. It is kind of late now, when you have – you know," Megumi answered, blushing slightly.

This conversation started to feel weird for Tomoko. "Excuse me? Why is it too late?"

"Isn't it?!" Megumi gasped, looking even more flustered. "Y-you mean that … but, that's … you already had someone! What will she think?"

"She doesn't mind at all. On the contrary, I think she would be only happy!" Tomoko assured senpai. "The more the merrier, or something … oh, and she's not my only friend, you know!"

Megumi was utterly shocked. She never imagined Kuroki-san to be like this. Her "arrangements" were far more mature she could have ever believed. A bit too adult for her tastes, in fact. Megumi knew that she herself wasn't ready for anything like that, but who was she to judge other peoples' lifestyles? _"Is that called a 'harem'? Like, in anime? Kuroki-san will understand I'm not ready to take part in an arrangement like that. Not at this point of my life, at least." _So she tried to discreetly circumvent the question.

"You are so popular among girls, Kuroki-san! I wish I was as confident in myself as you are," Megumi praised her kouhai.

Tomoko's jaw fell open. "E-excuse me?" she gasped when she was able to speak again. The discussion had turned from weird to surreal. All Tomoko had said was that she actually had a friend or two, and now senpai thought she was hugely popular with girls? Yeah, it would be nice if she was, and it's true that she had one good friend … well, more, if you count relatives … but that was still quite an overstatement.

So she just had to object. "I'm not that popular. You should know that I have a hard time getting close friends like that."

"Oh, I can imagine," Megumi sighed. Yeah, that kind of friends, maybe … not that she could really imagine. How on earth did Kuroki-san _get_ lovers? Even having one girl lover was amazing, let alone two or even more? She must be really something! Megumi almost wanted to hurl herself into it and accept Kuroki-san's invitation. _"Maybe she's the best kisser in the world? Or maybe she just makes girls' hearts to race, somehow. I know my heart raced at certain moments when I was in her house. Well, this is a mystery. What's your secret, Kuroki-san? Maybe I should just … ask?"_

So, she added, "No … actually, I can't! I can't imagine how do you do it. What _is_ your secret, Kuroki-san?"

Now, Tomoko had to actually pinch herself. No, she wasn't dreaming. Probably not. The most awesome, most popular second-year girl was asking _her_ how she got friends so easily. Normally, Tomoko would have gleefully lied about it and let Imae-senpai believe she _was_ great at socializing and making friends and that she had loads of them. But she just couldn't lie to someone she actually … cared about. _"Besides, how did this all turn upside down? She knows I'm just a sad loser. I don't get it!"_

Sighing, Tomoko decided, for once, to be honest. "I don't understand. You visited me. You know me, sort of. I'm not good at making friends. I'm not outgoing. I don't even talk to anyone!"

Megumi smiled. "You talk to me."

"Well, yeah … you are an exception. You already saw … what you saw. You know my embarrassing, dark secrets already. There's nothing I need to hide from you –"

Suddenly Tomoko felt warm all over. Finally there was someone she could talk to. Someone in the same school! Someone who was … her friend. _"Probably … maybe. If I could just trust her! Trust … anyone."_

"Good relationships are built on honest communication," Megumi muttered.

Tomoko flinched. As if senpai had read her thoughts.

Megumi cleared her throat and said, "So, Kuroki-san, I need to ask you something. If these questions seem a bit intrusive…"

"Go ahead," Tomoko said, bracing herself. _"She'll probably ask about the massager…"_

"Who _is_ your new girl lover you're sleeping with? Sorry, but I heard you talking about her with Yuu-chan over the phone. And how many other girl lovers you _do_ have in your harem?" Megumi asked with enthusiasm. "Sorry, but I'm just too curious! I had to ask –"

All color drained off of Tomoko's face, her eyes turned as large as saucers, she stared at her senpai blindly for a few seconds, and then collapsed onto the floor.

And so Megumi had a chance to practice her first aid skills on a fainted person.

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Whoops, forgot that Megumi was a second-year, not a third-year. Tomoko thought "she'll graduate in a few months," but she was just exaggerating.

I found Tomoko's high school; it is mentioned in the manga. "Harajuku Educational Academy – Makuhari Shuuei High School," nicknamed Haramaku. Harajuku is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo, and Makuhari is an actual, existing school.

Writing dialogue where two people completely misunderstand each other was fun, and I tried to drag it on for as long as I possibly could. :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 4**

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Tomoko's consciousness started to return, slowly. First she felt like she was floating on a cloud. Slowly, she realized she was being carried on someone's arms. Someone who was warm, soft, cuddly, and smelled good. Everywhere around her was this blinding bright light, but she managed to open her eyes slightly, and saw that the person carrying her also radiated light like an angel. No, it _was_ clearly an angel. She had just died and went to heaven! For the moment she couldn't remember how she died, she only remembered a dark, gloomy place where she had been when something inside her head broke down. _"Maybe a blood vessel burst inside me brain?"_ she thought. How she had died didn't feel important, though. What was important that she was in Heaven, being carried by a lovely angel. She wished it would never end.

The angel looked at Tomoko and said, "Sorry that I asked you about those things. I didn't know you would be so shocked."

_"Well, since I'm dead, I have to be honest,"_ Tomoko thought, and admitted, "I never had a harem or any girl lovers … I don't know where Imae-senpai got those ideas. Please don't send me to Hell!"

"Yeah, it looks like I was completely mistaken," the angel sighed. "Sorry that I didn't understand..."

Tomoko's vision began to clear and she realized it was not actually an angel carrying her. It was the closest thing to an angel on Earth, however: student council president Megumi Imae. "Oh, it's you!" Tomoko gasped. "W-what are you doing?"

Tomoko became aware that they were touching each other. Senpai had her arm around her back, the other arm behind her knees, and she was snuggling against her chest. And those large boobs were pressing against Tomoko's side. Senpai was indeed soft, warm, and fluff, and smelled very nice. This was like being hugged, or even better. Tomoko's face quickly changed color from pale to as red as tomato. It did look like senpai was blushing a bit as well.

"You fainted, so I'm taking you to nurse's office," Megumi explained.

Actually Tomoko wanted to stay this way forever, but she just had to gasp, "I-I can walk! Really! I'm fine!"

"Nu-uh," senpai said. "I'm not letting you down."

That could be interpreted in more than one way, but Tomoko was too distracted to notice. Since, now they were back at the active part of the school. Fortunately there were nobody else in sight, but Tomoko was so embarrassed that she had to hide her face. And the only way she could do that was to turn and push her face against senpai.

Megumi was surprised at this display of affection – that's what she thought it was – but in response, lifted Tomoko a bit higher and held her closer to herself. She thought of taking a longer route, around the corridors, but as a responsible student, declined. But she slowed her pace, to be able to carry Tomoko at least a bit longer.

Tomoko's other hand was hanging very near senpai's delicious butt. As much as she wanted to cop a feel, she just couldn't do it. She knew Imae-senpai was far more observant than Yuu-chan and she would definitely notice if she did, and there were moral objections against it. In reality, Tomoko knew she was just too shy and afraid to do things like that. At least she could inhale senpai's scent and enjoy the intimacy.

All too soon, it was over. They were at the nurse's office. Tomoko, still snuggling her face into senpai's shoulder, listened to the conversation. "Oh, it's Imae-san, what have you brought me?" – "Good day, Kisaragi-san. Kuroki-san fainted so I brought her here." – "She's conscious now, though?" – "Yes, ma'am." – "Okay, put her on this bed and draw the curtains. I'll examine her later." – "Will do."

So the bliss was about to end. Tomoko wanted to wrap her arms around senpai and hold on. But, she didn't. Gently, Megumi placed Tomoko onto the cold, uncomfortable bed which was covered with a paper sheet.

"I brought your bento as well," she said, placing it onto the bedside table. "You should eat …"

Tomoko looked at senpai with disbelief. _"How did she manage to bring that as well?"_

However, Tomoko ignored that for now, because there was something she needed to say. She didn't have the energy to lie or pretend anymore, having finally understood what had happened. Imae-senpai had heard her lying to Yuu-chan over the phone. And senpai had misunderstood that she all the time talked about having close friends, not lovers or a harem.

"I should be apologizing", Tomoko started, "I told Yuu-chan I had slept with a girlfriend…that was a lie. Well, technically, we slept together, but as you know –"

"Oh. So that's what you meant," Megumi sighed. "Don't worry. Nobody can be honest at all times. Everyone tells white lies. Yes, me too…"

"I can't imagine Miss Perfect ever lying – sorry!" Tomoko gasped as she realized what she had said, thinking aloud again.

"Please, don't call me Miss Perfect," Megumi said, but she was still smiling. "I don't think I deserve that title. I'm nowhere near perfect…"

"But me, I'm a really bad person! I lie, I cheat, I bad-mouth people," Tomoko cried. She was getting angry, though she wasn't really sure of why or at whom. "You know what I am, so leave me alone! I deserve it! Don't pity me!"

"It's not pity," Megumi whispered. Tomoko froze.

Slowly, senpai bowed down, her face approaching Tomoko's.

Paralyzed, Tomoko could just close her eyes and brace for impact, so to speak. She felt senpai's lips touching – not her lips, but her forehead, ever so slightly. "You can't choose the one you like. It just happens," Megumi then whispered into her ear.

As Tomoko opened her eyes several seconds later, Imae-senpai was already gone. She was alone again, trembling, her heart apparently doing somersaults, and the warmth spread from her forehead to all over her body. Kissed by an angel. _"Why did she leave?"_

Tomoko wished she could die, right now, at this very moment. Since, she would probably ever feel so good again. And now, now it was all over. She'd have to shake this feeling, quickly. The longer it lasted, the worse it would feel afterwards.

"She left because that was a goodbye kiss. Yeah, that must be it. She will leave me alone now. I asked her to!" Tomoko muttered. Excellent! She was feeling much worse already.

All of it was just a dream anyway. She didn't even dare to _think_ of liking senpai back. _"No, this kind of stuff never happens! Even in an anime. Two girls…nope, impossible. Maybe if we were in an all-girl boarding school and I was the prettiest first-year transfer student ever ...but, I'm nobody and senpai is perfect."_

Thinking for a while, she found a different perspective. _"She did say she 'likes' me … maybe she'd have her way with me and then toss me away like a used toy?"_

She wasn't sure whether that would be still better than nothing at all happening during high school. _"At least I wouldn't be a virgin anymore. Maybe I'd even like being abused? I think I've started liking it when mom or bro hits me…"_

Tomoko shivered. That thought was so wrong! Anyway, she decided to offer her body to senpai, _if_ she wanted it. And that's a big if. Who would like this ugly, gaunt, smelly, ghastly white body, with no curves whatsoever, this greasy hair, these dark rings under the eyes, these thin lips?

But then she realized something. _"Wait, how would she take my virginity anyway? It's not like she's got a dick! And I don't think she's futa –"_

Her thoughts were interrupted and she flinched as the curtain was suddenly drawn open. Nurse Kisaragi was looming over her, with a thermometer in her hand.

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Tomoko was able to pretend being so exhausted that nurse "didn't let her go" until after school. Which meant, she could skip the rest of the classes. Even this uncomfortable, cold bed was better than classes. Slowly, she shambled through the empty corridors into her classroom. It was empty, only her bag was hanging at the side of her desk. As she reached for it, she noticed a slip of paper sticking out of the side pocket.

A note from someone? A love letter, even – no, never! Turned out it was a note. _"Hi, Kuroki-san, hope you are feeling better? Sorry that I had to leave, got errands to run. You will have lunch with me tomorrow, and no excuses! – Megumi."_

"Who the heck is Megumi?" Tomoko wondered. But obviously it couldn't be anyone else than Imae-senpai. "So her first name is Megumi. Megumi … Megumi …" she whispered the name. Such a pretty name. Either she had not heard it before or had just forgotten it.

"You'd better remember it, because you're going to scream it tonight," Tomoko said aloud, remembering a joke from a list of "pick up lines". This time it wasn't funny, though. First, there was nobody else here to laugh at it with, and secondly, Tomoko didn't feel like laughing at it. It might be turning into reality soon. Oh, except that she didn't know if senpai actually wanted to ravish her body. _"This is not yet a fact,"_ she tried to remind herself.

That note did sound kind of "dominating," though. Senpai was giving her orders now? "Man, does this suggest I have to make a lunch box for her?" she whined.

Making senpai lunch as thanks didn't feel at all repulsive, though. _"I think I'll actually do it. I have to go shopping, though … however … since I missed half the classes, I don't know what homework we got, so… I don't have to do homework!"_

Going shopping, even just for groceries, was always better than doing homework. She even had some money left because, being sick, she didn't have a chance to spend her weekly allowance.

Tomoko wasn't good at cooking, but school lunch in a bento was something she had practiced the most. Sometimes it had even tasted good. Yeah, this could work out!

_"Careful! I'm getting too happy and excited about this,"_ she thought. _"The downfall will come. Some terrible misfortune or hazard will eventually happen. It always does."_

But, she couldn't fail before she tried.

So she walked home, threw her bag into her room, changed clothes and headed to the kitchen. Her mother was there, having a cup of tea and reading something before she would have to start fixing dinner or whatever chores she had. To put it mildly, Tomoko was hesitant to ask, but since mother was actually good at cooking … she stood there for a while, gathering her courage. Finally her mother noticed, stopped reading and glared at her, while sipping the tea.

"Mom, I can make my own lunch tomorrow morning, uh, in fact … I'll try to make two … the second is for a f-friend," Tomoko said.

The timing was purely an accident. Mother spit tea over the table and had a huge coughing bout. When she was able to breathe again, she gasped, "How the hell did _you_ get a boyfriend?!"

"Mom! That's a mean thing to say … and there's no boyfriend! It's for that senpai, Imae-san, who came here when I was sick!" Tomoko groaned.

"Ah, that's a relief. Since I didn't get a boyfriend in high school, I don't want you to get one either," her mother said, coughing a bit in the middle of the sentence.

Tomoko glared at her mother, but didn't dare to comment on that. She didn't want to get slapped or something. "Anyway … I just wanted to tell you, so you don't have to bother ."

"Make one for Tomoki as well, then. It's not any harder to make three if you're making two."

That actually sounded reasonable. And if she did that … "Okay, I guess. I'll do three. So, I'm going to buy some ingredients, could you give me some money?"

"For this once, yes. If you do a good job, and I get to sleep longer at the morning, it's worth it."

Her mother stood up, got her wallet and slipped a few shiny thousand-yen notes into Tomoko's hands. But she held onto them and said, "But you must rinse all the dishes and utensils you use and put them into the dishwasher before leaving. And leave some rice into the cooker for me. Okay?"

"Yes, mom …" Tomoko sighed, and received the money. _"Nobody else's mom is probably this strict. And that damn Tomoki, he's always pampered …"_ Tomoko thought.

"Watch out what you're thinking! I can read your thoughts!" mother said, glaring at her.

Tomoko's heart leaped into her throat, before mother laughed, and added, "Ha ha! You should have seen your face! … wait, what _were_ you thinking?"

"N-nothing! I mean, I'll be going now!" Tomoko gasped, and scurried away.

"That kid …" she heard mother muttering.

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At the supermarket, Tomoko realized she forgot to ask about her mom what she could cook for a lunch. So she decided to stick on the recipes she knew, hoping it would be enough. At least she had managed to swindle some extra cash from mom.

"Rice, mini-hamburgers, wieners cut to look like octopi, tomatoes, pickled daikon and stuff …" she muttered. Then, she ducked behind the shelves as she saw several uniforms of her own school.

They were her classmates, in fact. Nemoto-san, two of the boys, and one girl whose name she couldn't remember at the moment. They wouldn't probably recognize her since she wasn't wearing the school uniform, but Tomoko tried to stay out of their view, just in case. To her surprise, they were just talking about senpai and herself.

"… president actually came into our class and asked for Kuroki-san," one of the boys explained.

"Oh, that's weird. I didn't see Kuroki after lunch, where was she?" Nemoto-san asked.

"Beats me. But prez left a note in her bag."

"What did it say?" the second boy asked.

"How should I know! I don't read other people's letters!" the first boy replied.

"Dumb-ass, now we will never know. Maybe it was a love letter!" the second boy suggested.

All the four students laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised that a girl left a love letter for Kuroki-san," the first boy said, and added, "…I'd be more surprised that someone actually left a love letter for her!"

"Come on, guys," Nemoto-san said, sounding annoyed. "You're just jealous, since you are definitely never getting any love letters. And so what if it was a love letter? I think it's wonderful if two people find love … even if they are girls."

They walked away and Tomoko couldn't hear any more, other than that the boys were joking about 'dykes' and laughing.

Tomoko leaned onto the shelf, which happened to contain packages of diapers, and sighed deeply. _"At least people are finally talking about me. And it was not _too_ bad. Let them think I'm a dyke, doesn't matter. And maybe I am, I'm always smelling Yuu-chan and wanting to grope her__..__."_

What it meant to be a 'dyke' in practice was vague in Tomoko's mind. She had never really thought about it. She did watch some old yuri anime but didn't like it that much. Besides, nothing more than kissing really happened in it as far as she remembered. Strawberry P*nic or whatever it was. People were talking about this new one on 'chans and forums, called Sakura something, maybe she should watch it too.

She shook her head and continued shopping, after looking around cautiously and seeing that her classmates were already gone.

Rest of the shopping and evening back at home went by without any further incidents.

So far, no disaster. But tomorrow she would have to get up early. Washing and soaking the rice takes time, not to mention making mini-hamburgers.

Suddenly, she remembered the kiss. Imae-senpai had kissed her! Okay, so it was just on the forehead, but still.

Remembering _that_ didn't exactly help her to catch sleep.

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I think nurse's surname was never mentioned so I made it up. Kisaragi, written 鬼 and spelled きさらぎ.

Chapter length seems to be getting shorter, also, this chapter had half of the previous and half of the next chapter, sort of. Well, it can't be helped, I write how I write.


	5. Chapter 5

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 5**

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Tomoko wasn't quite sure why or how she was at the school swimming pool, taking a midnight swim with Imae-senpai. In the "old type" school swimsuits, even. At the moment they were lazily floating on beach mattresses in the middle of the pool, watching the stars. After a while, Tomoko noticed Imae-senpai had fallen asleep, with her delicious butt – covered by the dark blue synthetic fabric – turned her way. Tomoko floated closer, but just as she was about to cop a feel, an alarm went off. "Damn, her ass was alarmed!"

Tomoko quickly drew her hand away, but the annoying "BEEP BEEP BEEP" still continued. She woke up, opened her eyes slightly, and slammed the alarm clock, which stopped making the awful noise. Normally, she wouldn't have been able to get up. But she was now thinking of senpai, thanks to that dream, and the lunch she would make for her, so she forced her feet down onto the cold floor. Slowly, she stood up, and shambled towards the bathroom.

After washing her hands, she splashed her face with cold water. Very unpleasant, but at least Tomoko was now almost awake. She went back to her room and intentionally made more noise than usual when putting on her clothes, hoping that her lazy brother Tomoki would wake up, just because it was unfair that he was still asleep while her big sister was doing all the work.

Still yawning, she measured the rice and started washing it. Then, all the little mistakes and her bad luck began to accumulate. She poured a third of the rice into the sink when trying to drain the water and she had to measure and wash it again. Her mini-hamburger mixture became too wet and the burgers didn't hold together; she had to scrape everything back into the bowl and add more flour. While trying to cut 'tentacles' for the wieners so that they would look like little cute octopuses, she cut her finger, bled all over the sausages, and had to throw them away.

In the end, her wounded finger was throbbing under the thick wrap of gauze, her back hurt, and she had gotten vinegar or something in her left eye which was bloodshot and stinging. But, somehow, she made it. She managed to finish all the three lunch boxes. Two of them even looked pretty good; the third one was a mess. There she dumped all the misshapen mini-hamburgers and unevenly cut stuff. But she wrapped it up and pinned a note _'For my dear brother Tomoki, love, Tomoko' _into it. That was ironic, of course. Her brother would know it. "He probably thinks I spat into it and doesn't even eat it … would serve him right …" Tomoko muttered as she tossed the thing into the fridge.

Anyway, when Tomoko left for school, she felt almost happy. Doing something nice to someone else was something she rarely did, and it felt good. Maybe because nobody had told her to do this? Such as her mother. Or, maybe, just maybe … because she had done it for Imae-senpai. _"No, I did this as a thanks. I don't really like senpai. She's not my type,"_ Tomoko told herself. _"I must not get attracted to senpai. She's way out of my league. She's so beautiful, smart, and popular. She would never return my feelings – no, no! I do NOT have feelings for her! I can't..."_

But Tomoko had never been good at convincing anyone of anything. Not even herself. At least her good mood was gone now. Every time she had felt too good for too long, a disaster of some sort had always happened and ruined everything. So it was best to be miserable. During the long walk, she tried to forget about senpai and to think of stuff which made her feel worse. Her annoyingly cheerful classmates who were such great friends – with each other, the worst teachers, the pop quizzes they would surely have today, P.E. lesson at the end of the day. Nothing really helped; Tomoko always found her mind wandering back to senpai.

In any case, at least she was sort of prepared to meet senpai at the gates. Yeah, there she was, standing and waiting for … what? No way could she have been waiting for Tomoko. She was probably waiting for her numerous other friends and classmates.

It looked like almost everyone knew Imae-senpai. Most of the students stopped to greet her and or to bow to her. They were saying, "Hi, Imae-san," "Good morning, president-sama," "How do you do, Imae-senpai," and so on. Tomoko didn't want to disturb senpai's important friends, so she switched to the other side of the pathway and tried to hide behind the other students.

Megumi was more or less responding to all of the greetings she got, but there was only one reason she was standing at the gates, and that was Kuroki-san. And kouhai didn't get past her eyes. "Yahoo, Kuroki-san!" she shouted as she spotted her. Most people stopped and stared at her, then turned their heads to find the person who Megumi was shouting at.

Somehow they formed almost like a gauntlet, running from Megumi to Tomoko, who had frozen on her tracks. For Tomoko, this kind of situation was almost as bad as that medieval form of punishment. She knew she couldn't shout back at senpai, because no sound would come out. So, blushing brightly, she ran the gauntlet, as fast as she dared to. Maybe a bit too fast, for Imae-senpai apparently thought she was so happy to see her that she wanted a hug, so senpai welcomed her with open arms.

And so they ended up hugging in front of the entire school. Megumi, pleasantly surprised by this sudden display of affection, pulled Tomoko close to her. _"Her boobs are big…"_ was all Tomoko could think of, her face almost buried into senpai's cleavage as she was shorter than her. "Oh, Kuroki-san," senpai sighed. "You know … this is a bit embarrassing … we are in a public place," she then whispered into Tomoko's ear.

Tomoko tore herself apart from senpai and gasped, out of breath due to her run and the shock, "T-that was an accident! I mean, I didn't want to hug you!"

Megumi's smile froze and her expression changed quickly. "Oh," she said quietly.

Maybe everyone was still looking at them, but Tomoko felt as if there was nobody else present. It was suddenly deadly quiet around them. Sad senpai was something Tomoko had not seen yet. There was a sting of pain inside Tomoko's chest and suddenly she felt like crying. She sniffled and tried to explain. "I didn't mean it like that! I-I- …"

She just couldn't find the words. Besides, she was unable to admit that she _wanted_ to hug senpai and her big boobs, she could easily skip school and hug her all day.

"Sorry, it was my fault!" senpai exclaimed. "I didn't realize you don't like to touch other people ... I shall remember this from now on," she added, and _bowed_ to Tomoko.

Tomoko would rather have been slapped on the face. Or run ten gauntlets, with people actually hitting her with sticks. "No, it's not your fault!" Tomoko gasped. "I … see you at lunch!" she managed to add, before she ran away towards the school front doors.

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Next couple classes Tomoko spent banging her head on the table, figuratively. In reality, she was just leaning onto her arms, hunched over her desk. And blaming herself. _"Damn it. Why the hell I take this so seriously? It's not like it was anything important,"_ she asked herself. _"Yeah, yeah, I know,"_ she answered her own question. _"I hurt senpai's feelings. I made her sad. That's why…"_

At least the lunch wasn't called off yet. Maybe her gift will cheer up senpai. _"If she still wants to have lunch with me. I bet she can find someone who actually likes touching other people –"_

Of course Tomoko wanted to touch. In fact she craved for it. The only ones who _ever_ hugged her were someone in that weird costume during school festival, and, today, Imae-senpai. And today didn't really even count, because it was an accidental hug. Anyway, these thoughts gave her plenty of material for self-pity. And self-pity kept her awake and listening at classes. She even took notes. Because listening to classes and making notes was boring and dreary, and she wanted to feel even more miserable.

Paradoxically, feeling miserable made her feel good. By lunchtime, Tomoko was sure that senpai would never want to see her again. From now on, she would only admire senpai at a distance. She would have to stay out of her sight. As their classrooms were on different floors and senpai rarely left school at the same time, due to her duties, she would see her only rarely. _"Maybe once or twice a month, if I'm lucky."_

As the bell rang, indicating lunch hour, Tomoko shambled, with her bento in her hand, towards the class door. She planned to go to that dark, cold place in the unused wing, and have absolutely no appetite in there. But senpai was standing outside the classroom, waiting for her, and carrying a bag.

"Hi, Kuroki-san. Where should we go for lunch?" Megumi asked.

Tomoko's jaw fell open and no sound came out. But Megumi was already familiar with Tomoko's bouts of temporary aphasia, and so she just waited patiently.

"Uh, h-hi!" Tomoko was finally able to croak. At the same time, she tried to think quickly. _"We can't go to my classroom because she would realize I have no friends at all in my class, certainly we can't go to her classroom because she would be ashamed to take a first-year into her class, the place in the unused wing has no chairs or desks –"_

"I see you were about to come to my class –" Megumi started, but she was interrupted.

"Oh, crap!" Tomoko yelped. "I mean, just a moment! I _must _get something first," she explained, and dashed back into her classroom. As quickly as she could, she grabbed the extra lunch box from her bag and returned. "I-I forgot this, it's … uh … I …"

Suddenly it was really hard to say it. Maybe she had gone too far? What will senpai think?

"Two lunch boxes?" Megumi asked, looking puzzled.

Tomoko stared at the floor, knowing she was blushing. "I made one for you too…"

"What?!" Megumi gasped.

"As a thank you! For visiting me when I was sick!" Tomoko quickly explained. Shyly, she looked up at senpai and noticed she had a weird expression. _"Damn it! I made a mistake! She –"_

Tomoko's thoughts were interrupted as senpai doubled over. In laughter. She was guffawing aloud. Wide-eyed, Tomoko's heart sank through the floor, she stumbled backwards, and almost dropped one of the bentos.

"S-sorry, but this is a bit funny … I made YOU lunch. As a thank you for telling me about anime and manga," Megumi explained.

Tomoko sighed deeply in relief, and then … she herself actually laughed a bit. It sounded weird. She didn't remember the time she had last laughed at school. Well, she had sort of laughed inward a few times, at some of the misfortunes her classmates had had. But laughing aloud – she only hoped it had not sounded too scary or weird. Anyway, she felt strangely courageous now, since making lunch for senpai had turned out to be anything but a mistake.

"Yeah, it is a bit funny … let's go to your class, if that's okay?" Tomoko asked.

"Sure!" Megumi said, as if that was no problem at all. She grabbed Tomoko's wrist – both of kouhai's hands being occupied – and started walking. Apparently Megumi had forgotten that Tomoko didn't like to be touched. As far as she knew.

"So, I guess we have _two_ extra lunch boxes then," Megumi noted as they were going upstairs. "I hope you have a big appetite!"

"Is there a boy you like in your class? You can give the other one to him," Tomoko suggested. She didn't really know _how_ she had managed to say things like that. As if she was being … a normal, social person who could discuss with others. She couldn't see senpai's expression because she was ahead of her.

_"Oh crap, I hope she doesn't actually have a boy she likes!"_ Tomoko thought. _"Oh crap, that thought was wrong! What I should have thought is to worry whether that question was too intrusive – maybe if I say it was just a joke –"_

"Oh, no, of course not. I don't like boys," Megumi replied nonchalantly. At the top of the stairs she looked back at Tomoko, smiled, and winked an eye.

It was fortunate she turned her head again and started walking, because Tomoko thought she was either going to pass out or have a huge nosebleed. Yeah, maybe the question had been intrusive, but that _answer_ was even more intrusive. Just like that, senpai had made it very clear that she was a lesbian. _"She likes girls! Or … she does not like girls either, she's, what do you call it … asexual …"_ Tomoko thought, trying to explain it away for herself.

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As they entered senpai's classroom, people only glanced at them quickly, one or two said, "Hi, Imae-san!" but, to Tomoko's relief, nobody stared at them and nobody looked offended by Megumi bringing a first-year with her.

Megumi took an extra chair from the back of the classroom and they sat down at senpai's desk, facing each other.

"So, let's switch lunch boxes. I can't wait to see what you have cooked!" Megumi said, excited.

Tomoko handed her one of the boxes and Megumi gave her one of her own. Both unwrapped the boxes and opened the lids.

Megumi was the first to burst into laughter. Tomoko's mouth twitched a bit first, but then she couldn't stop laughing as well. She laughed heartily, possibly better than in many years.

It was because they both had _exactly_ the same things: rice with umeboshi, obviously, but also, both had mini-hamburgers, cherry tomatoes, and pickled daikon radish, carrots, and burdock root.

"My favorites!" Megumi gasped, in between of laughs.

"M-mine too …" Tomoko croaked, and wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes.

It took them a minute to calm down. Then, Megumi took out her chopsticks, and said, "Good appetite!"

"Good appetite," Tomoko replied.

It was hard to eat when there was a danger of bursting into laughter at any time. Megumi spilled some rice onto the table and Tomoko had a piece of carrot coming out of her nose, eating took some more time than usual, and they got some odd looks from the others, but finally they were done.

"Oh, that was good … thank you …" Tomoko gasped.

"Thank you too, Kuroki-san. I think your mini-burgers were better than mine …" Megumi gasped, equally exhausted.

For a while, they just enjoyed the moment, smiling at each other. Tomoko felt happier than for years. But all too soon a nagging thought arose in her mind. There was something she would have to say to senpai.

"Uh, I just remembered. I have to explain … this morning, when I hugged you, it was an accident. I mean, I kind of stumbled and ended up on your arms," Tomoko said very quietly.

"Oh, so that's what it was. Never mind, I liked it," Megumi said.

"I didn't mind either! I was just embarrassed because it was a public place. It's not like I don't like to be touched. I don't mind being touched at all," Tomoko muttered. Explaining this was at least as embarrassing as the situation had been, but it _had_ to be done. _"There, I fixed it. I actually fixed something!"_ Tomoko yelled in her mind.

"That's good to know! Well well …" Megumi suddenly looked mischievous, which Tomoko didn't notice as she was staring at the floor. Senpai leaned forward and whispered: "Maybe I'll start touching you a bit more, then, if you know what I mean…"

"O-okay! If you want to! … I'm ready now! You can d-do whatever you want –" Tomoko said, her voice breaking, the thought, _"She wants my body!"_ burning in her mind.

"W-what, right now? Isn't school in general a public place as well? … a-and, and … I'd like to wash my teeth first at least …" Megumi stuttered. Of course she was thinking was, at most, a kiss on the cheek or something.

Tomoko's eyes widened as she stared at her senpai. _"She's going to use her TEETH?! What have I gotten myself into? That sounds very painful!"_

Seeing how frightened Kuroki-san looked, Megumi backed out. "No … I don't think we shouldn't. We are not ready for something like that, obviously!"

Tomoko let out a sigh of relief. "You think so? Yeah, maybe later … some other time. It's summer break soon."

What Tomoko said next, she had had to gather all her courage for. "M-maybe, you know, if you're not too busy, and i-if you'd like to, I'm not saying we have to, a-and … c-could we hang out sometime? Visit the beach or a festival?" she stuttered, fidgeting and staring at the floor.

For once, Tomoko's anime experience was helpful. Lots of them had beach and festival and whatnot episodes set during the summer break. And it was always those very close girlfriends who went together…

"I mean, together with Yuu-chan and Komiyama-san! I-it's not like a date or anything!" she quickly added, because the thought of going on a date with senpai made her much too nervous.

Megumi grinned from ear to ear. "Splendid! I'd love to hang out with you during summer break! And I'd love to meet your friends!"

"Sorry, I knew you were busy. Just forget about it. I shouldn't have said anything!" Tomoko exclaimed reflectively, because she had been absolutely certain that senpai would decline. "E-excuse me?" she then gasped.

"I'm not that busy. I'd love to go!" Megumi repeated.

Tomoko felt her cheeks burning and she knew she was blushing radiantly. Going to beach with senpai reminded her of her last night's dream. _"A dream turning into reality? Hopefully senpai's butt doesn't have an alarm,"_ she thought, and blushed even brighter.

"Oh. There's a problem!" senpai then gasped. Surprised, Tomoko looked up – up until this moment she had found something very important to stare at on the floor. Senpai was blushing slightly as well. Problem? What problem? Tomoko wanted to ask, but no sound came out. Also, senpai was still smiling despite the "problem".

"I don't have a swimsuit. Well, beside the school swimsuit. My bikini has gotten too small," senpai explained. "Would you like to go shopping with me, say, next Saturday?"

When this information sunk into Tomoko's brain, her face color probably began to resemble that of a ripe tomato. _"Senpai wants to go shopping … for a bikini … with me. Too bad I just died! I mean, this must be heaven so I must be dead?"_

"Gurgle," was all Tomoko could say at first. She then cleared her throat, and stuttered, "U-uh, next Saturday? I'll h-have to check my calendar, but I think I have time for a bikini. I mean, shopping a bi-bikini. I mean, swimsuits. M-maybe I'll buy a swimsuit too, my old one is … umm … out of fashion!"

The truth was, Tomoko didn't know where even her school swimsuit was. She had skipped all school swimming because first of all, she couldn't swim, secondly, she couldn't handle seeing her classmates in swimsuits, and thirdly, she was too shy and self-conscious to appear in public wearing just a swimsuit. But if she got to see senpai in a bikini … Tomoko would do _anything_ for that. "I got to bring my camera," she muttered, thinking aloud.

"Please do," Megumi said. "I can then see how the suits I try look upon me."

Tomoko jumped up and grabbed her things. "All right, oh, just look at the time I've got to go E-mail me about Saturday see you later!" she blabbered and ran away. Fortunately Tomoko was wearing the bandage on her hand. It absorbed the first gush of blood from her nose, and she managed to reach the toilet in time.

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I like the "old type" Japanese school swimsuit! :D

The manga just had a beach episode. I think mine will be quite different… :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 6**

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Tomoki Kuroki was sitting at his desk, doing homework, when he heard the door of his room sliding open. "Go away," he growled without even looking.

"How did you know it was me?" Tomoko asked. "Could've been mom. If you say that to mom, she'll kick your ass."

"Mom knocks before entering. Besides, I could _smell _it was you. So go away", Tomoki replied, without even turning around.

Tomoko ignored that – although she was a bit bothered about the 'smell' bit – and sat down onto the floor. "Borrow me your camera."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Why should I? You would only break it."

_"Gotcha!"_ Tomoko thought. Now they were already negotiating about the terms, so she had already won. "You know I'm good with all electrical gadgets, it'll be fine."

Surprisingly, this was true and Tomoki knew it. It was one of the very few things Tomoko was actually good for. She had even helped her brother with his mp3 player once.

Tomoki didn't need his camera for the moment and frankly he didn't care whether his sister borrowed it or not. But, he didn't want to do any favors for her. So, he asked, "What's in it for me?"

"Well … I'm going to shop for swimsuits with my friend and she asked me to take pictures," Tomoko explained. "I'll leave some in the camera for you."

Tomoki sneered. "Like I wanted pictures of some ugly friend of yours."

"But she's gorgeous," Tomoko claimed.

"Yeah, sure."

"I assure you, she's incredibly hot."

"Says who?"

"She's got D cups – wait, I actually have a picture of her! Just a moment, I'll get it and show you!" Tomoko exclaimed. She clambered up and ran back to her room to get one of the school brochures.

Back at Tomoki's room, she shoved the page at her brother. "Here, look! Her picture is here because she's the prez."

"Megumi Imae," Tomoki read the name. "Student Council President. And you are hanging out with _her_?" he added, still suspicious.

"Yep. Believe it or not. I've even got her phone number and e-mail address," Tomoko bragged.

"Bah, whatever. It's not like I care about the pictures that much, I just want you to stop pestering me. So take the stupid camera and get out! It's on the shelf over there," Tomoki sighed. Actually, he was pretty impressed with Megumi's looks. Assuming sis was telling him the truth, seeing her in bikini would be awesome. He tried not to let Tomoko see what he was thinking of, though. "Give it back when you've done with your business. _With_ the pictures, of course."

"Okay, but only if you don't upload them to internet or something," Tomoko noted.

"I don't do things like that. It's more like something you would do," Tomoki muttered.

Tomoko realized that this was true, as she was picking up the camera. Well, maybe, if it was anyone else but senpai or Yuu-chan. She would never do that to her closest friends. _"Senpai, a close friend … is that allowed?"_ Tomoko thought.

Back in her room, Tomoko realized she would have to select clothes for going out tomorrow. She never got out. Except to go to the store, and nobody cared what she was wearing to the store. Tomoko didn't own any nice clothes. It took her a while to figure out why she wanted to look good. It was for senpai. _"Damn, I should not be getting too attracted to her. Hedgehog's Dilemma? No, not that... It's just my cursed luck. Everything nice in my life ends up in a disaster. She'll dump me, or she'll transfer to another school … or something worse …"_

Tomoko sighed deeply and started throwing all the clothes from her closet onto the floor. "I'll go through every rag in here until I find something nice!" she swore. But she already knew she would fail.

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It was Saturday morning, Tomoko had had breakfast and was just putting on her shoes. She wasn't feeling _too_ bad about the clothes. Her anime expertise had actually helped her to find a cute outfit. A pair of jeans with suspenders, a plaid shirt, a jacket, a pair of slip-ons, and a beret on her head. Even mom had said, "Oh, cute," which was a huge compliment coming from her. She had even given Tomoko a little money when she explained where she was going.

Of course, when Tomoko saw Imae-senpai, she felt as cute as a toad compared to her. Senpai was wearing a light yellow floral dress, a hat, carrying an expensive-looking handbag, and she made heads turn as she waited under the large clock at the station, where they had agreed to meet.

Tomoko walked up to senpai but she didn't notice her. "Imae-senpai," Tomoko said. But it came out as a whisper, and senpai couldn't hear it.

Megumi thought she had heard something and looked around, but she didn't see Kuroki-san. Just some boys – and even a couple of girls – staring at her. And there was this beret-wearing child standing next to her.

Failing to greet senpai, and too shy to nudge her, Tomoko took off her headwear and her hair sprung out.

"Oh! Kuroki-san!" Megumi gasped. "I didn't recognize you!"

"Uh … hello," was all Tomoko could say. _"Damn, this is like the scene from that anime…I sure hope she didn't think I was just a kid?"_

"Oh my! You look really cute! Especially with that thing on your head," senpai exclaimed, looking excited.

"Y-you think so?" Tomoko said quietly, feeling her cheeks starting to blush.

"Yeah, put it back on!" senpai suggested.

Feeling somehow embarrassed, Tomoko gathered the loose strands of hair pointing at random directions and pulled the beret onto her head again.

"Oh!" Megumi sighed, her eyes shining. "Really! … d-do you have the camera? May I take a picture of you?"

_"Is she serious?"_ Tomoko thought. But she had begun to learn that senpai wore her head on her sleeve. As far as she knew, if senpai looked excited, she really was. Completely unlike Tomoko herself, who usually tried to hide her true feelings.

Tomoko dug out the camera from her bag and handed it to senpai. "I turned it on. Just point it and press that button there."

Megumi thanked her, took a couple of steps backwards, and said, "Okay, now, take a cute pose!"

Tomoko tried to think quickly. "Uh, something like this?" she asked, turned slightly sideways, grinned at the camera and made a "V" with her fingers.

"Ooh!" Megumi gasped, and started taking pictures. Unlike most digital cameras in Japan, the device did not make a shutter sound each time. "Uh? Is this working?"

Tomoko went to look at the camera, just in case. "Yeah, you can see the picture on the screen. I turned off the shutter sound."

Unlike Tomoko, senpai seemed to be blissfully unaware of why anyone would do that. "Ah, okay. These things usually make that 'click' sound. Anyway, I want more pictures! Sit on that bench –" senpai gestured at it "– and, umm … make a heart with your fingers?"

People were watching, Tomoko started to feel embarrassed and her cheeks were blushing, but she did what senpai asked. Heck, if senpai asked her to strip nude, she's probably do it, just to see senpai happy. And she looked really pleased as she took more pictures. "Make a cute frown! – Could you sit on your heels and look at camera? – Now, spread your arms like you wanted to hug me. And smile!" senpai gave her orders.

As nice as it was, they didn't have much time before the train would arrive. "We're running out of time, Imae-senpai," Tomoko noted. "A-and, can I take your picture?"

"Oh, of course!" Megumi gasped, and handed the camera back to Tomoko.

Senpai made some of the same poses Tomoko had just done. To Tomoko, she looked about ten times prettier and cuter than she herself had looked. She tried to take as many pictures as she could. "I can hear the train," she muttered. "And we need to save memory for the rest of the pictures."

"Yeah, it would be bad if we ran out of film," Megumi noted.

_"No wonder why she reputedly makes pots explode,"_ Tomoko thought, and said, "Uh, this is a digital camera, senpai…"

"Ah! Of course!" Megumi gasped.

The station speakers announced the coming train and Tomoko didn't hear Megumi adding, "Please call me Megumi."

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The mall looked like it extended a mile to every direction and had at least ten floors.

"Every girls' paradise!" Megumi sighed.

"Yeah … if you've got money, that is …" Tomoko muttered.

"Doesn't matter! I could just window shop all day!" Megumi exclaimed, and grabbed a map of the mall from a nearby stand.

Tomoko couldn't, actually. Most of the shops had nothing she was interested in. Tomoko knew nothing about fashion, house decorating, food, crockery, cleaning, and so on – the only "girly" thing she knew something about was _sh__ō__nen_ anime and manga. But she didn't want to ruin senpai's mood by telling her any of this. _"Looks like I'm the butch and she's the femme,"_ Tomoko thought. _"Maybe I should become a truck driver."_

Deep in thought, Tomoko mostly just followed Imae-senpai and replied to her as senpai pranced through the mall, commenting on things she saw.

"Oh, look, there's the mall raffle! I hope we get tickets from the shop!" Megumi exclaimed at one point.

"That's how I won that massager –" Tomoko replied without thinking.

Imae-senpai turned as red as a tomato. "Oh? So that's why … I mean, there's nothing wrong with … that thing," she gasped.

Tomoko felt her cheeks burning as well. "Yeah, I didn't buy it. Of course not."

Megumi was suddenly staring at something behind Tomoko, who turned around, and saw that by a chance they were standing outside a "sex shop". Selling not only massagers but a plenty of other things, only a select few of which could be displayed in the shop window.

"Do you want to go there?" Tomoko asked. She was joking, of course, feeling pretty good at coming up with a joke like that, as flustered as she was at the moment.

"Maybe later, if you come with me?" Megumi asked.

"I-I was just joking!" Tomoko gasped.

Senpai giggled. "Me too … Can't deny that I am a bit interested, though. But we are still minors. So, when I say, maybe later … maybe when we are eighteen?"

"O- … okay! I'll go with you," Tomoko said. "I mean when we are eighteen!" she quickly added.

"It's a deal," senpai replied. "Now, let's get away before we actually go in right now!"

Finally, they entered the huge swimsuit shop of the mall, only for women. Both were overwhelmed for a while with the gigantic selection they had.

"Whoa. That's a lot of swimsuits," was all Tomoko could think of saying, as they stood at the end of one of the endless racks of hangers.

"Indeed. What kind of swimsuit you usually have had?" Megumi asked.

Tomoko walked some dozen yards before finding something she usually wore. "Something like this …" she said, pointing at a swimsuit which looked more like summer wear – it consisted of a tank top and shorts.

"Oh," Megumi sighed, looking disappointed. "That doesn't flatter you at all! You have a beautiful body; you should show it off!"

Tomoko glanced at senpai with disbelief. "Me?! I'm flat like a pancake, my legs are thin like sticks, and my skin has a sickly pallor…"

"Nonsense. You are very cute! And you've got a great ass!" Megumi exclaimed matter-of-factly, not noticing the shock Tomoko had because she was shuffling one of the clothes racks. "Here, try this!" she added, handing Tomoko a black bikini. "I think it's your size."

"A … bikini?" Tomoko gasped.

"Yeah, why not? I'm definitely buying a bikini."

After Megumi had selected a few bikini for trying them on, they sat down for a while because all the dressing rooms were being used at the moment. Both girls blushed a bit because other female customers, almost all young women, walked back and forth wearing all kinds of swimsuits. They followed as a tall, curved, blonde woman wearing a rather skimpy bikini walked past them, to use the mirrors. Maybe she was an American?

"Isn't it awkward to be in a place like this?" Tomoko muttered. "With so much pretty girls and women…"

"No, why would it be?" Megumi asked.

"Uh … since, well, as you like girls and –"

"What!?" Megumi gasped, interrupting Tomoko. "I do? Or, rather, how do you know?"

"Y-You said you don't like boys! The other day, when we made lunch for each other."

Megumi tried to remember the incident. "Ah! … yeah, I said I don't like boys, but that was a joke. Didn't you notice how I winked my eye?"

"Winking an eye doesn't mean 'I am joking'!" Tomoko groaned.

Megumi chuckled. "Oh, it doesn't? Sorry, my mistake."

Tomoko frowned, and muttered, "So you like boys after all…"

Seeing how disappointed Tomoko was, Megumi quickly explained, "I don't! Or … I don't know. I haven't ever met any boy I liked. In that way. And I don't like any of the boys at school. That's what I meant the other day by 'I don't like boys'."

Megumi looked around, and then whispered into Tomoko's ear, "But, still … consider this … whenever I had a crush, it was always a girl …"

Tomoko's cheeks turned one degree deeper red.

Megumi stared at her, her face very close of Tomoko's. Tomoko realized senpai was expecting something. _"W-what?"_ she wondered in her mind. _"What does she want? A kiss? … no, she would close her eyes and pucker her lips or something. What does she want?"_

Tomoko was too afraid to ask, and she couldn't figure it out until much later. Megumi sighed and stood up. "Dressing rooms are free now. Let's try these on?"

The "American" girl smiled at Tomoko as she passed her, now fully clothed and carrying the bikini she would buy. Tomoko made way and bowed slightly, to show respect to the great boobs she had. Realizing what she had just thought, she groaned in her mind. _"Damn it, this is awkward, not for senpai but for me!"_

Tomoko made sure the curtain was well closed, before she started slowly taking off her clothes. She glared at her naked reflection in the full-body mirror. "Great ass?" she muttered, and turned and twisted, trying to see her own ass. "More like a little boy's ass," she sighed. But her ass might indeed be the curviest place of her body. Otherwise, she was sickly thin and emaciated, her bones were sticking out, and she was shivering even when the shop was reasonably warm, because she didn't have any body fat. _"Yeah, at least I'm not fat,"_ she thought.

Megumi heard Tomoko's muttering to the next room and smiled. She noticed that if she climbed onto the chair, she could peek at Tomoko. Too bad Tomoko had the camera. Besides, that would be wrong. A responsible student like Megumi Imae should not even think of things like that!

Megumi was just finishing tying the strings of her bikini top. She then cupped her breasts with her palms and weighed them. _"I wonder if I'd rather have body like Kuroki-san … if I would like to have the body of Kuroki-san? … oh, you naughty girl, stop thinking things like that! … at least I'm going to see her in a bikini…"_

She came out of the room and knocked on the side of Kuroki-san's curtain. "How's it going in there? May I look?"

Tomoko flinched, since she was still stark naked. Quickly, she yelled, "No! I'm not ready yet! Just a moment!"

Quickly she put the bikini bottom on and fumbled with the top. She had never even put on anything like this, so she couldn't figure it out how it worked.

"Kuroki-san? You okay?" Megumi asked again. She thought she heard grunts, groans, and whispered swear words.

"I … uh … I don't know how to put on this damn thing!" Tomoko admitted.

Blood rushed into Megumi's head and her heart started to race. "D-do you need any help?" she gasped, trying not to pant.

There was a long silence, then Tomoko said very quietly, "…yes."

Blood did not start gushing out of Megumi's nostrils. Apparently her veins were stronger than Tomoko's. She couldn't stop her hands from trembling as she drew the curtain aside. Tomoko was standing with her back turned at her, hanging her head down. Two of the black strings of her bikini were tangled up around her neck.

"Ah. One of the strings got stuck with the neck string," Megumi explained. Hoping Tomoko wouldn't sense how her hands trembled, or how sweaty her palms were at the moment, she gently threaded the strings back into correct order.

"Let me tie this for you. How are the cups? Do they fit?" Megumi asked. _"Do you want me to grope your boobs and check!?"_ she also shouted in her mind.

"Fine …" Tomoko muttered.

Megumi sighed a bit. Well, at least she got to touch some skin. And Tomoko had a nice, smooth skin. Each touch had felt electric, and made Megumi want for more. Also she could smell Tomoko. Something that might have come from a perfume bottle but was only natural. A fragrance which made her wish to be closer that she could smell it better. _"Ohh, Kuroki-san. Looks like I really like girls after all. Or at least one girl. A girl whom I'm having very inappropriate thoughts of right now…"_ Megumi said. Or actually she didn't say all this; even the student council president who wore her heart on her sleeve wasn't that bold.

"Done! Turn around, let's see how it looks," Megumi said instead.

Shyly and slowly, Tomoko turned around. She didn't look senpai in the eyes – not because of the embarrassment, but because she was offered a view of very nice pair of D-cups. Or were they C-cups? Tomoko wasn't sure, but in any case, cup size was not the first thing in her mind for the moment.

Likewise, Megumi was devouring Tomoko with her eyes. She liked everything she saw. Even the flat chest. She wanted to throw her kouhai onto the floor and have her way with her, but forced herself to instead say, "You look great! I knew that bikini would suit you!"

"R-really?" Tomoko whispered.

"Yes, really! Now, let's take pictures. Lots of pictures!" Megumi exclaimed with enthusiasm. "I want to try on a few more bikinis. And let's get a few more for you to try on as well."

Normally, trying on clothes wasn't Tomoko's favorite pastime. "If it's with senpai, it's okay," she muttered, thinking aloud without realizing.

"That's good to hear!" Megumi explained and laughed, producing a pair of jiggling fan service at Tomoko's bulging eyes.

They spent so long time at the shop that even the clerks started to look a bit impatient. It took them two hours before they finally walked out with their purchases. And a camera full of pictures.

The final stop was at the mall raffle. Megumi won a stuffed teddy bear, which she insisted of giving to Tomoko who didn't win anything at all. Tomoko was too tired to resist too much, and accepted the gift.

After a sleepy train ride, they parted ways.

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At home, Tomoko copied every picture into her computer and even made backup copies before she could even think of anything else.

As Tomoko was exhausted after the hard – but very exciting – day of shopping, she didn't realize the mistake she made next. She carefully selected all of _Megumi's_ pictures on the camera's memory chip and deleted them, before returning the camera to her brother.

Fortunately her brother was also exhausted, because he had to study for the exams the entire weekend, and he didn't have the energy to look at the pictures just yet.

So everything was fine just before Tomoko thought she would fall asleep, while hugging the teddy bear Imae-senpai had given her. It smelled like senpai…

Then she finally figured out what senpai had expected from her.

"_Aarghh, of course! I should have asked 'do you like me?' or 'do you want to know whether I like girls?' Damn it!"_

She fell asleep, but had to count about 12,400 sheep first. Each one of them cute and fluffy, like Imae-senpai.

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A scene from "that" anime … if you like Watamote, you're an otaku anyway? So you must recognize the anime and the scene.

"Girly thing", shōnen anime and manga, is aimed to male audience aged from 10 to adult. :D

Tomoko, as we all, learned about Hedgehog's Dilemma from Neon Genesis Evangelion.


	7. Chapter 7

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 7**

The manga just had a "beach episode," so I decided to do the pool episode. :P Note: There are some very minor spoilers of Mournings 17, 64, and 65 of the manga in this chapter. I don't think there's anything significant, but consider yourself warned, just in case.

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It was the morning of the day Tomoko had waited for, weather was really nice, sun was shining, there was just a small breeze which eased the heat without being too strong, she had even slept well and was feeling good. And so she muttered, "This will end up in a disaster. I just know it," when she walked into the station. Today they were going to go to the pool. She wasn't quite sure who had suggested the pool instead of a beach. At least the pool was rather close; they wouldn't have to switch trains on the way.

Tomoko, Yuu-chan, and Komiyama had already gone to the beach once, last week. Imae-senpai couldn't accompany them that time. But afterwards, Tomoko was happy she didn't. The whole beach had been closed and … anyway, Yuu-chan had cried. And that was something Tomoko really hated to see.

"With my luck, they've probably closed the pool … due to AIDS, or whatever," Tomoko muttered.

"Yahoo, Kuroki-san!"

Tomoko tried not to smile when she heard that voice. She turned around and saw Imae-senpai running towards her, waving her hand. Tomoko tried to look cool, when in fact she wanted to welcome senpai with a big hug. Instead, she just bowed formally.

Megumi stopped in front of Tomoko, pouted her lips for a moment, but then she smiled slyly and bowed as well. "I wish you stay feeling happy, Kuroki-san."

That was too much for Tomoko, who couldn't stop herself from bursting into laughter. "So-sorry, I don't think nobody has ever greeted me like that …"

"Yeah, I'm just kidding," Megumi said. "Though, one of my cousins goes to an all-girl boarding school and there they have to greet each other like that."

Several different animes flashed through Tomoko's mind. "Have you seen – ah, of course not."

Megumi looked a bit puzzled. "Seen what?"

"Oh, just an anime. Or more than one anime, in fact. All-girl boarding school is a very popular subject," Tomoko explained. Then, she blushed, because she started to imagine Imae-senpai in some of the dresses those anime all-girl boarding schools had. And doing things the girls in those animes did...

"An all-girl boarding school ... from what my cousin has told, it sounds really boring. How do they make an anime of such a thing interesting?" Megumi asked. Totally innocently as usual.

"Uh … t-they … well … how should I say it …" Tomoko began to stutter, her cheeks blushing quite a bit brighter than before.

Fortunately at that moment they heard a yell, "Mokocchi!" and both girls turned around. It was Yuu-chan, waving at Tomoko and Megumi. Yuu-chan was followed by Komiyama-san.

"Hello, Mokocchi! And you must be Imae-senpai! Mokocchi has told me a lot about you! When I call her, she just can't stop talking about you!" Yuu-chan.

As if Tomoko wasn't already flustered enough. Megumi, on the other hand, looked as pleased as a dog with two tails. "Is that so? You must be Yuu-chan, and you – Komiyama-san?" Megumi said, turning to the girl wearing glasses. Like Tomoko, Komiyama was wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Except that, to Tomoko at least, she looked ten times better than Tomoko. Yuu-chan wore a dress as usual, and she looked about six million times better than Tomoko. Imae-senpai compared to Yuu-chan, on the other hand…

"The train is coming, let's go!" Imae-senpai exclaimed, before Tomoko could decide. She followed the others, deliberately behind them so she could check them out from that direction. _"As cute as Yuu-chan is, Imae-senpai is simply gorgeous. I wish I could take both …"_ Tomoko thought.

The other three girls were, of course, already happily chatting with each other. Even Komiyama had suddenly become social and talkative. Both Yuu-chan and Imae-senpai turned to Tomoko all the time and tried to get her take part in the discussion. But she quickly lost track of the subjects the others brought up; weather, local festivals, books they had read recently, their plans for university, and so on. _"In just one year, I have lost all small talk skills,"_ Tomoko thought. She didn't care, it was kind of fun just to listen to the others, and watch them. Especially Imae-senpai. And Yuu-chan. And even Komiyama looked kind of good.

_"I wish I had a harem! As if … If this was an anime, I'd at most be standing in the background while the story of the beautiful main characters is being told..." _ Tomoko thought.

Then, Komiyama asked Tomoko something which woke her up from her daydreams.

"Why, by the way, we are going to the pool? Why not the beach?" Komiyama asked.

"I thought you suggested it!" Tomoko said, glaring at Komiyama.

"I didn't," she denied it, looking annoyed.

"The closest beach is shut down because of medusas," Yuu-chan reminded them. "Besides, the city pool got renovated. I haven't seen it yet, but I heard it's pretty good now. They got Jacuzzis, water slides, a wave pool, and saunas and whatnot."

"And the new diving platform is ten meters high!" Komiyama exclaimed. "Can't wait to try it!"

"What, you think you can jump from ten meters?" Tomoko gasped.

"No – but five meters , no problem!" Komiyama claimed.

Tomoko sneered. "Yeah, sure. I dare you to jump from five meters!"

"I will, but how about you?" Komiyama replied. "There's three, five, and ten meter platforms, and one and three meter springboards … I bet you can't jump even from three meters!"

"Ha! Easy! I can jump from five meters any day!" Tomoko announced.

"Okay, we will both jump from five meters," Komiyama said.

"Oh, isn't that dangerous?" Megumi asked, but the arguing girls actually ignored her. Technically, as a student council president, she could tell them not to do that, even when they weren't in school. But Megumi was much too polite to begin pulling her rank. Besides, five meters – Megumi herself had dived from that height and she knew that Tomoko and Komiyama would be badly bruised, at worst.

Yuu-chan, wisely, had not said anything. _"Maybe this will make them become more friendly with each other…"_ she thought. She and Megumi exchanged a look of mutual understanding.

"We need a batsu game. If you don't do it, you'll have to …" Tomoko tried to come up with something quickly. "…you have to do everything I say, for one day!"

"What?!" Komiyama gasped. "That's outrageous! Unless … same to you! If you don't jump, _you_ will have to do everything _I_ say for one day."

"Deal!" Tomoko said. All went silent for the rest of the trip. And Tomoko had time to think about it. Suddenly five metres sounded really high. _"People die just by falling down off their feet. And this is, like, five times higher…"_

"Uh, at least there's a lifeguard at the pool. So if someone goes wrong …" Yuu-chan said, but she immediately realized that she shouldn't have said it. Now everyone looked worried.

"It's the next stop," Komiyama said, her voice sounding unusually high-pitched.

The girls got up and gathered their bags. Sun was still shining and flowers were in full bloom. Somehow the pool happened to have much less people than usual. "Welcome," the ticket seller said. "You're lucky, there's no lines today!"

The ticket seller woman didn't understand why the girls didn't look very pleased about this at all. She shrugged her shoulders, mentally, gave them their change and locker keys, and directed them towards the dressing rooms.

Women's dressing room was a big, shared one, with benches, rows of lockers, and big mirrors on the walls. "What, a shared dressing room?" Tomoko muttered, glaring at an elderly woman putting on a swimsuit.

"It is a bit embarrassing," Yuu-chan admitted, blushing a bit.

Komiyama was already dropping her pants. "Why? We even went to that onsen together. The middle school class trip, remember? Come on, there's nothing I haven't seen before."

She forgot that one of them had not bathed with them before – but Megumi Imae was already undressing, smiling, as if there was nothing out of the ordinary in it.

Tomoko smirked as she pulled her shirt off. "I wore my bikini under my clothes!"

Megumi sighed in disappointment, but the others didn't notice. "Isn't that uncomfortable?" Yuu-chan asked, as she was taking her bra off, to the pleasure of the others' ogling eyes.

Komiyama tore her eyes away from Yuu-chan and glared at Tomoko. "It'll be even more uncomfortable when that bikini is wet and you have to wear your clothes back over it."

Tomoko shrugged. This was summer break, they were at a pool … however uncomfortable she would be, it was still a thousand times better than school.

Megumi took her time changing clothes. She didn't seem to mind the others seeing her body and neither did Yuu-chan. Komiyama was probably the most insecure; she quickly pulled the swimsuit top on and then wore the skin-tight swimming leggings. Tomoko didn't bother to look; she was much more interested in ogling senpai and Yuu-chan. When she finally looked at Komiyama, she was already in her swimsuit.

"You look very fashionable, Komiyama-san!" Megumi gasped.

Indeed she did. Tomoko's plan to get Komiyama an ugly swimsuit had backfired majestically. The camo-patterned top and the leggings looked stylish together. Yuu-chan was wearing her usual frilled bikini, but then again, whatever Yuu-chan would be wearing, she would still look sizzling hot. And senpai … Tomoko turned her gaze to senpai and stared dreamily. Of course, Tomoko had already seen her in this bikini, heck, she got hundreds of pictures of senpai in a bikini, but she would never get bored looking at her.

"Ready? Got your keys?" Megumi asked. "Let's go."

When they got to the pool, there indeed weren't much people around. Komiyama looked at the diving tower and saw that there was a sign hung in front of the ladder, saying "CLOSED". On the center lanes they saw two swimmers just below the tower, and a few more were approaching.

"Oh, too bad!" Tomoko exclaimed. "Looks like we can't jump from five meters after all!"

"I won't let you off the hook so easily," Komiyama growled. "I'll go ask the lifeguard when the tower is opened."

"Wait," Megumi said, but Komiyama was already gone. "I don't think you should be jumping down from there. It looks really high."

"I'll be fine," Tomoko assured. "It's not I'll die or anything."

She instantly regretted saying it, because Imae-senpai and Yuu-chan both looked shocked. "It was a joke! Honestly, I'll be fine. I'll let Komiyama jump first. If she dies, then I won't do it."

Even this little joke didn't make senpai and Yuu-chan smile.

Komiyama returned, looking smug. "They'll open the tower in half an hour. Then we'll see who's got more guts."

"Please just don't get hurt," Yuu-chan pleaded.

"Yeah, don't ... anyway, since we got half an hour, let's try the water slide?" Megumi suggested.

"Oh yeah! I love water slides!" Yuu-chan chirped.

"It's childish," Tomoko said, but in truth she was very excited about it.

"I have to agree with you for once," Komiyama said. "I go to try that big Jacuzzi over there. But feel free to try the slide."

The others looked a bit puzzled about this – what kind of person doesn't like waterslides? "Weird. Well, shall we?" Megumi asked, pointing at the stairs.

When Tomoko climbed up to the top, she began to realize how high five meters would actually feel. And this was only a water slide; she wouldn't have to jump down.

Yuu-chan entered first; they heard her squealing in delight all the way down. Megumi insisted that Tomoko went first. Tomoko made a mistake of looking down and felt sick in her stomach. The lifeguard posted at the top of the slide told her to cross her hands onto her chest and sit down into the slide.

And then everything was just a blur as she zoomed down the blue plastic half-pipe, through the twists and turns. Too quickly it ended, and Tomoko landed into the water, almost on top of Yuu-chan. Senpai followed close behind, and she actually ended almost on top of Tomoko, who ended up sandwiched in between two bikini-clad girls. With big boobs. This was even better than the water slide in itself. And as quickly it ended, too, when both Yuu-chan and Megumi quickly moved away and apologized to Tomoko. "I don't mind!" Tomoko quickly said, not quite thinking what she was saying. Yuu-chan giggled while Megumi tried politely not to.

They rode the slide a few more times – sadly with no more girl sandwiches involved – until they decided to join Komiyama at the Jacuzzi. They found her looking annoyed and standing beside the Jacuzzi, surrounded by three boys, probably around high school age. When the boys saw Yuu-chan, they got even more excited and yelled at her as well, inviting them to join them in the pool.

One of the lifeguards had been alerted by the noise and came to glare at the boys until they left, leaving the girls alone.

Of course, the boys had completely ignored Tomoko's presence. Not one of them had even looked at her. But what was really odd was that Imae-senpai had also been ignored!

The four girls descended into the Jacuzzi and sat down to relax. Tomoe sat down beside Imae-senpai, while Yuu-chan and Komiyama sat on the other side.

"This is weird," Tomoko muttered. "How come those two get hit on and _you_ don't? I mean, you are definitely the hottest of us –"

Tomoko realized she had been thinking aloud. She hoped Imae-senpai wouldn't be offended of what she had said.

"You really think so?" Megumi gasped. "But you're definitely the cutest!"

"Bah … I look like a little kid in a bikini … only perverted old men would hit on me …" Tomoko whispered.

"I'm glad nobody's hitting on you. I'd get jealous," Megumi whispered in reply, winking an eye at her.

Tomoko's eyes widened.

_"What, does she mean she is joking? Or is she not joking?"_ Tomoko thought, but Komiyama's annoying voice interrupted their little private discussion. "Yo, Kuroki! Time to jump! Or are you chickening out already?"

"Not now!" Tomoko groaned. "We just got in here!"

"So you are trembling in your boots, chicken?" Komiyama taunted her. "See, the lifeguard just opened the five-meter platform. It won't be open long, so we have to go now."

Komiyama had stood up, and waited, with her hands on her hips. Tomoko cursed in her mind; Komiyama looked so sexy in that swimsuit, and looked even better when angry. And boys were hitting on her, of all people. Tomoko glanced at Imae-senpai, and noticed she was practically drooling at Komiyama.

"Whatever. I'm going. I guess you'll have to do the batsu game, then," Komiyama then said.

Tomoko snapped out of her trance, sighed, "Damn it … okay, okay, I'm coming," stood up, climbed out of the pool and followed Komiyama. _"Now that's really a great ass,"_ Tomoko groaned in her mind. Why did she take her to tag along? _"Yuu-chan is not a problem. She's straight and she has a boyfriend. But Komiyama … she might steal senpai from me!"_

Wrong! That thought was wrong. Komiyama couldn't steal senpai because senpai wasn't Tomoko's to begin with! Since when had she started to believe to things like that? It wasn't true, and it would never be. Patiently Tomoko reminded herself again of the harsh reality. _"Imae-senpai is not interested in a loser like me. She does not have a crush on me. She was just joking just before. It's only … pity, or whatever. And she probably likes boys, she just hasn't met the right one yet. Yeah, that's it. You just remember all this, Tomoko Kuroki. It'll save you from a heartbreak."_

Those thought made her feel bad, just as she wanted to. Playing the self-pity game also helped Tomoko to forget what she would have to do soon. Too soon, in fact, since they had arrived at the diving tower. It looked very high even from down here. Tomoko felt dizzy even before they climbed even one step.

"Y-you want to go first?" Komiyama asked at the foot of the metal steps.

To Tomoko's surprise, Komiyama wasn't quite as cool as usual. Is she afraid? "This was your idea! You climb first. I'll follow," Tomoko said.

"Fine. No problem. I'll go, then …" Komiyama muttered, and started climbing the steps. Very slowly.

Only at this moment Komiyama remembered something. She was absolutely terrified of heights. "Well? What are you waiting for?" she registered Tomoko saying, but she didn't reply. _"Okay, one step at a time. This is just five meters high. It's not really high. There's nothing to be afraid of,"_ Komiyama told herself. She failed to convince herself, though. She got up to the three meters platform and crawled onto it.

Tomoko climbed onto the platform as well and stared at Komiyama, who was staying on her hands and knees. "What are you doing? This is three meters platform."

"I know. I'm just resting a bit. That was a long climb. You go ahead, I'll follow," Komiyama explained, realizing how ridiculous that sounded.

"What? Even you can't be that out of shape!" Tomoko gasped.

"Sorry, I just … need a moment," Komiyama said quietly, without moving an inch. "You have to go first. I will follow you."

But she knew she wouldn't be able to do that.

Tomoko groaned, and said, "Okay, then. I'll go first. If you don't jump in one minute after I do it, you lose."

"Okay, whatever. I agree. Just … please," Komiyama pleaded. _"Maybe if I see her do it, I can do it as well,"_ she thought. There was a little problem, though: Komiyama wasn't able to look anywhere. She was on the top of a skyscraper, and there was only empty space and everywhere around her. Or that's how it felt at the moment.

Tomoko sneered at Komiyama, and started climbing to five meters. Two young girls, about twelve years in age, were now also climbing the tower. They took a puzzled look at Komiyama, but kept climbing behind Tomoko.

Tomoko noticed the girls and smirked. _"I'll show those kids what diving is all about!"_ she bragged in her mind. Boldly she walked to the end of the five-meters platform and looked down.

She had to use all of her willpower to avoid screaming in terror and shaming herself in the eyes of the "kids" behind her. Tomoko never thought five meters was actually this high! The world spinned in Tomoko's eyes. She fell onto her hands and knees like Komiyama two meters below her.

Someone was muttering something behind Tomoko. She looked and saw the two young girls standing behind her and staring at her impatiently.

There was no escape. She would have to jump. Subdued, Tomoko crawled to the end of the platform again. Since she couldn't stand up, she turned around and lowered her legs over the edge, then started to inch the rest of her body over. Soon she was hanging by her arms, then she slipped; her heart jumped into her throat but she managed to grasp the edge with her fingers.

Tomoko was trapped. She couldn't climb back, yet she was too afraid to let go either.

After Tomoko had hung there for almost thirty seconds, one of the young girls frowned, took a few steps and stomped her foot onto Tomoko's fingers. The pain made Tomoko jolt. Instantly, she fell down, flailing and kicking, and landed into the water with a huge splash. Even before the splatters from Tomoko's landing into the water had settled, Megumi was up and running towards the pool, and dived in gracefully just as Tomoko surfaced, coughing and flailing her arms around.

Tomoko was momentarily disoriented and didn't know which way was up and down. She had had no time to take a deep breath so she was also quickly running out of air. Fortunately she managed to find the surface before inhaling too much water. After a brief moment of panicked struggle, she calmed down, as she noticed that her bikini top was gone.

Just as Megumi reached Tomoko, the latter stopped flailing, turned as red as a tomato and descended into the water so that just the top of her head and her face were above the surface.

"Are you okay?" Megumi said, and wrapped her arms around Tomoko in case she was about to sink.

Tomoko coughed, and replied quietly, "I'm fine but my top … I lost my top …"

Megumi realized that her other palm was indeed cupping a nude breast and quickly let go, her face also turning into the same shade of a ripe tomato that Tomoko had. "Oh!" she gasped. "I-I'll find it. Swim to the edge of the pool and, uh, stay there?"

"Okay…" Tomoko muttered, and started swimming, using mostly just her legs because she tried to cover her chest at the same time.

It took little time for Megumi to find the black bikini top floating on the surface nearby and brought it to Tomoko who was hunched in the corner of the pool. Quickly, she slipped the top on and tied the strings.

It looked like nobody had noticed her little wardrobe malfunction after the "jump" – which undoubtedly _everyone_ had noticed.

In any case, that had been one of the most embarrassing moments of her life – no, not actually. Tomoko had had plenty of much more embarrassing ones. But that was certainly in the top ten. At least this time there was someone else that had reason to be embarrassed.

Tomoko and Megumi got out of the pool and walked up to the others. Komiyama, who had managed to descend back onto the ground with her eyes closed, was trying to hide behind Yuu-chan and to look inconspicuous.

"I think I see a chicken back there," Tomoko said. "Cluck cluck!"

Megumi glanced at her, but didn't say anything.

"Stop that," Komiyama groaned.

"A talking chicken!" Tomoko gasped. "Anyway, you're going to be my slave for a day."

"Slave? I think not. I'll just do whatever you say. Within reasonable limits," Komiyama argued.

"_Anything_ I say. That was the deal," Tomoko said, looking smug and leering at Komiyama.

"Whatever. I've had enough for today, I'll take a shower and change," Komiyama muttered, turned around, and started walking towards the dressing room.

"Yes, maybe we'd better get going. Looks like clouds are gathering," Megumi sighed. She meant that both figuratively and literally, for weather was apparently changing and the wind was getting stronger.

_"I won! I actually won!"_ Tomoko thought, feeling accomplished.

Then, it happened. There was a small step and her foot slipped on the wet tiles. Something was torn inside her left ankle. As if a piece of fabric was being torn apart. She could almost _hear_ the ripping sound.

Tomoko jolted due to the sharp, white-hot, piercing pain in her ankle and fell onto the hard tiles with a thud, her hands flailing around helplessly. "OWWW!" she yelled, writhing in pain.

"Tomoko!" Megumi yelled, without noticing she had called Kuroki-san with her forename – the first time ever she did that – and rushed to help her kouhai.

"Ow, ow, ow! My ankle!" Tomoko cried.

Megumi bowed down, grabbed her leg and lifted it up, yelling, "Lifeguard, please!"

"OWW!" Tomoko shouted, because it felt as if her ankle was squeezed in the iron grab of a vise. She kicked blindly with her free leg, but couldn't free her injured leg. She looked up and saw that senpai was squeezing her ankle so hard that her knuckles were white.

"Ouuuch! Let me go! What are you doing!?" Tomoko gasped, trying not to cry from the pain.

"Don't move. I know it hurts but this is for your best," Megumi explained, not budging an inch. "Lifeguard is already bringing an ice pack."

Tomoko calmed down a bit, since she remembered something. "Oww … oh, you were going to be a doctor, weren't you?"

Megumi smiled. "You remembered! Yes, I know what I'm doing," she said. Quietly, she added, "I hope…".

Yuu-chan was almost fainting from seeing this, and had to lean on Komiyama, who remained as cool as a cucumber, trying to hide her malicious joy. _"Serves you right…"_ she though, but felt a bit guilty afterwards. It was true that Tomoko is nasty, but that looked extremely painful and Komiyama didn't really want something like that to happen to anyone.

Bravely, Tomoko didn't whine or whimper anymore, though tears were flowing down her cheeks. The lifeguard – a beautiful blonde, in fact, with a nice rack, which Tomoko and the others couldn't appreciate at the moment – brought an ice pack and asked whether they needed first aid or an ambulance.

"Thank you, ma'am," Megumi replied, "I have second level in first aid, so I'll manage. But I do think we need to get her to a hospital."

The lifeguard left to call an ambulance. Megumi wrapped the ice pack tightly around Tomoko's ankle and strapped it securely. "There. Let's get your things from the lockers."

Megumi bent down, wrapped her right arm around Tomoko's back and put her left hand behind her knees.

This was not the first time senpai had carried Tomoko, but this time there would be a lot of skin contact since they were wearing only bikinis. Despite the pain and the shock, Tomoko was acutely aware of this. She almost told senpai not to bother and to use a stretcher instead, should the pool have one.

Senpai lifted her up, and Tomoko wrapped her hands around senpai's neck and snuggled very close to her, using up this possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Warm … smooth … soft … skin against skin … delightful scent which Tomoko inhaled, her face buried in senpai's neck. She felt like she was floating in clouds and the pain in her ankle eased. The sounds and splashes of the pool faded into the background and Tomoko forgot about everything else but being carried by this angel on Earth again. She felt a tingle in between her legs, and realized she was getting excited. Sexually. At a time like this! With a possibly broken ankle … and it also felt much better than the time she met that voice actor and shook hands with him. _"Wow. Either this is just because of the shock or … I'm totally gay for senpai,"_ Tomoko thought.

Megumi would have liked to enjoy it at least as much as Tomoko, but she tried to maintain a professional attitude. Besides, Tomoko was injured and probably in severe pain. Still, Megumi's heart was pounding really hard, and she was a bit concerned Tomoko would feel it.

They had reached the dressing room. Sighing unknowingly, because she would have to break the contact, Megumi carefully set Tomoko down onto a bench. "Are you hurting badly, Kuroki-san? Where's your locker key?"

"… doesn't hurt that much now. Probably numb from the ice," Tomoko muttered. She fished out the key from the inside of her bikini top and handed it to Megumi, who proceeded to open both of their lockers, handed Tomoko her shirt, and started changing clothes. No matter how much in pain Tomoko was, she would have never missed an opportunity like this. Again, Megumi pretended not to notice how Tomoko ogled her with bulging eyes and a bright blush on her cheeks.

デリミタ デリミタ デリミタ

An hour later, Tomoko was lying on a hospital bed. She had just finished calling her mother, who had sounded unsympathetic, and complained about having to come to the hospital because of her daughter's clumsiness.

A nurse entered, followed by Megumi, Yuu-chan, and Komiyama.

"You've got half an hour. Then I'll come back with premedication and you'll have to leave," the nurse explained, and walked away.

_"Premedication?"_ Megumi thought. She knew what it meant and it worried her a bit. But Megumi didn't say anything about that; instead, she asked, "How are you, Kuroki-san?"

"Not so fine. I've got a torn ligament and they'll have to operate," Tomoko whined. "And it's summer vacation. It'll take a month to heal!"

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Megumi said, holding back tears. "But I'll come over as much as I can and help you!"

Tomoko's eyes widened and she stared at senpai. "Y-you shouldn't do that … I'll manage!"

"So, I guess neither of us won the bet," Komiyama interrupted before Megumi had time to argue.

"What! I jumped from five metres! You lost!" Tomoko groaned.

"You didn't jump. You fell," Komiyama argued.

"I would have jumped in a few seconds anyway! You didn't even climb to five meters. Clearly I won the bet!" Tomoko exclaimed.

Komiyama turned to Megumi and Yuu-chan. "She didn't jump! Tell her she didn't win!"

Megumi tried to hold back a smile. "I'm sorry, Komiyama-san, but I think Kuroki-san _did _win the bet. There weren't any agreement on whether the jump had to look controlled or not."

"What?!" Komiyama gasped.

"You lost," Megumi explained.

"Neener neener!" Tomoko taunted Komiyama. "You shall be my slave for a day!"

"Not a slave! We already talked about this!" Komiyama groaned. "But, okay, whatever. You won. I'll do it."

"Hmm … next Saturday? Is that okay? Come over to my place next Saturday and serve me, my servant!" Tomoko exclaimed. Komiyama didn't like the mischievous grin Tomoko had.

"I don't like your tone, but I said I'll do it. Next Saturday is fine. The sooner it's over, the better," Komiyama muttered.

"Ahem," Megumi coughed. "May I come too? I don't wish to disturb you two, but they have this construction work near my house and it's quite noisy and I need to work on my summer homework. I won't disturb you two, I'll just sit in some corner and work quietly!"

Tomoko glanced at senpai with some suspicion. _"Is she jealous or something? Does she think I'm going to take advantage of Komiyama?"_

But, having senpai around was always nice. So, Tomoko answered, "Of course! You are welcome. Unless you have something against it, Komiyama?" she added, turning to her.

"Not at all. It's for the best that senpai will be there. Who knows what you would otherwise do!" Komiyama exclaimed.

Tomoko glared at her and was about to say something, but this move made her ankle to remind her of its existence. Tomoko winced in pain and turned pale.

"Maybe you two should go. Kuroki-san is not feeling very well," Megumi said to Yuu-chan and Komiyama.

"Yeah," Komiyama said. "I'm sorry that you got hurt."

"I hope you get better soon, Mokocchi! I can't come to your place next Saturday, but I'll call you every day!" Yuu-chan exclaimed, bent down and hugged her friend. _"She gets to hug Kuroki-san but I don't …" _Megumi thought, but she knew it was a selfish to think like that.

"I'll see you next Saturday, I guess. So … good bye," Komiyama said and walked away. She was not looking forward to that day, though to her surprise, she felt a bit excited at the same time. She had no idea what she would be ordered to do. Maybe … lewd things? She wasn't convinced that Tomoko could come up with anything "fun" like that.

Tomoko looked at Imae-senpai, who was apparently not going anywhere.

"I'm not leaving you here alone until your mother comes," Megumi explained.

"Thank you, Imae-senpai … I'm sorry I'm imposing so much on you," Tomoko said quietly, her eyes tearing up. Partly from pain, fear and exhaustion.

Megumi took a chair, sat down beside Tomoko's bed, and gently petted her head. "You aren't."

デリミタ デリミタ デリミタ

Finally, that evening, while his sister was at the hospital, Tomoki Kuroki finally plugged the memory chip into his tablet, in the privacy of his own room. He had to admit to himself that he was a bit excited. To see a good-looking high school sophomore in a bikini, even one with big boobs as far as Tomoki knew … totally different from internet porn or something, not that Tomoki was interested in porn.

He tapped the image browser, and a large number of thumbnails lined up onto the screen. He tapped the first one, and got a picture of her big sister Tomoko. Fully clothed. Apparently the photo had been taken at the train station.

"What? Why did she leave this stupid picture onto the chip?"

Quickly, he brushed the image away with his finger, and got another picture … of Tomoko, still wearing the same clothes, but this time with a different pose, and making a heart sign with her fingers. She even tried to smile in the picture.

"Eww!" Tomoki groaned. "That's even worse. How many pictures of her own she left in here?!"

Quickly he shuffled through several more pictures of Tomoko posing at the station. Finally, a picture of someone in a bikini appeared.

That someone was still his sister Tomoko. Wearing a black bikini, blushing brightly, and covering herself with her hands.

"Aaaaaaaghhh!" Tomoki exclaimed. "I did not want to see that!"

Almost retching in disgust, Tomoki quickly switched to next picture…

… which was also of Tomoki. Wearing the same black bikini, but this time posing with her legs apart, making a 'V' sign with her fingers, and having an awkward smile on her face.

"CAN NOT UNSEE!" Tomoki shouted, and closed his eyes.

Feeling nauseous, he shuffled through a few more pictures, which all were of Tomoko wearing bikini or a swimsuit. Then he returned to the thumbnails, and saw that every damn picture left was of her sister, and none of them of , and having an awkward smile on her her legs apart, making a 'V' sign with her fingers, and sm, a and

Quickly, Tomoki pressed 'select all', 'delete', and 'okay' and watched as all the pictures disappeared.

For a minute, he just sat there, staring at space.

"Good thing I deleted those. I don't know what I would have done with them, to get back at her…" Tomoki muttered. "If that was her idea of a joke …"

No. Not _even_ Tomoko would do something like that. Tomoki knew it had probably been just a mistake. Nevertheless, he swore he would take revenge later.

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Long chapter is long! I just couldn't stop.

Yeah, okay, "pool is closed" meme is so old that Tomoko probably wouldn't have thought of it. :D

"I wish you stay feeling happy" = _Gokigenyō_.

Cross-linguistic onomatopoeias. English is not my first language, so I have to look up those. Japanese would have said "_kokko kokko"_. We in Finland say, "kot kot kot".


	8. Chapter 8

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 8**

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Tomoko was not too happy to see her mother. Because it meant Imae-senpai explained the situation after a greeting, bowed … and left the hospital, leaving Tomoko alone. Well, not really alone, since her mother was there, but she could as well been alone.

The nurse had visited the room and had made Tomoko to swallow a pill or two. For a while, they were silent, her mother sitting on the chair beside her bed, shuffling through an old magazine, and looking both bored and annoyed.

Tomoko realized she was very, very tired. She only wanted to rest. At the same time, she was feeling better and better. There was just this one nagging thought that disturbed her. Finally, she asked, "These days do not count, do they, mom?"

Her mother placed the magazine away and glared at her. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"These don't count as summer vacation days. I should get days off of school for each day I lose due to this," Tomoko explained.

"Don't be ridiculous, Tomoko," her mother hissed. "This is your own entire fault. Why did you to go to the pool with that bimbo in the first place?"

Tomoko was momentarily struck speechless by her mother's words. "Imae-senpai is not bimbo! She's the student council president of our school! She's gorgeous, she's popular, she's smart, she's a straight A student …"

It was getting hard to talk since now even Tomoko's tongue felt tired.

"You admire this Imae-senpai, don't you?"

Everything was just white haze now, and Tomoko couldn't see or hear very clearly, but she assumed it was still her mother speaking.

"I … _like_ her … I like her a lot …" Tomoko whispered. It was easier to whisper than to talk with this tired tongue and these tired lungs.

"You do not! This is just a phase. High school girls are often very close to each other, nothing wrong with that. But at most it is just practice to the real, adult life. A proper Japanese girl gets married and has children with her husband. Relationships in between women are unnatural and profane."

Of course it is unnatural. Her mother would disown her. Nothing new to Tomoko. She had already thought about all of these things when she become friends with Imae-senpai. But they were just friends. Imae-senpai was not her girlfriend and she would never be her girlfriend. Senpai will marry someone rich after she graduates college, and Tomoko will never see her again.

"Uh … sure, mom. Whatever you say. It's not like I'll ever have a relationship anyway, boy or girl," Tomoko said. She was floating on clouds now and nothing mattered. She didn't feel any shame. Not even her mother could stop her from speaking – well, whispering – her mind out now.

"Why? I'd thought a lot of boys would be asking a cute girl like you out."

"Nobody thinks I'm cute or pretty. Nobody ever notices me. I don't even talk to anyone. "

"Come to think of it, you are right. You aren't cute. As your brother said, you are, at the best, average. Most of the time you are just smelly, nasty, and ugly. You can't even talk to people."

Mother was right, of course. No reason to cry.

"You will never have a lover. Imae-senpai just pretends to be your friend because she pities you. You don't deserve even that. You are a stupid, jealous, vengeful, and perverted girl. You will be lonely forever."

No arguments against that. That's the truth.

"I hope you die when they cut you up. No, even better, I hope you will never walk again. Would serve you right to be a cripple stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of your miserable life!"

By now, Tomoko realized it had _not_ been her mother talking, not for a while. She had only been talking to herself. It was kind of a relief to know that even mother wasn't _that_ harsh.

With a huge effort, she opened her eyes and saw her mother looking worriedly at her. "W-what … how much did you hear?" Tomoko gasped.

She saw her mother's mouth move but couldn't understand the words. Another face appeared beside her mother's – it was the nurse.

With another big effort, Tomoko could make out some bits and pieces of what they were talking about.

"… quite sensitive to premedication. Nothing to worry about." – "… the epidural soon."

Next thing Tomoko felt was them were her, turning her around, and forcing her to bend and sticking something sharp into her back. Lights moved past her eyes and she was moving – she figured out she was on a bed which was moved through the corridors. More brilliant lights, people dressed in green gowns and masks on their faces, she was lifted and moved again.

Tomoko came to her senses momentarily. All she could see was a wall of white fabric, some machinery to her left, and a person with a mask on bending over her occasionally. Entire lower half of Tomoko's body was completely numb, as if it didn't even exist. "What's going on?" she asked weakly.

A face floated into her field of vision. "Don't try to move, we're in the middle of the operation," she said. Was it a woman? The voice had changed, and the face … there was no mask, no green gown. The person had long black hair, black eyes, and she was wearing the school uniform, though it was more golden than yellow. "Imae-senpai!" Tomoko gasped. She looked different. If possible, she was even more gorgeous than before. She was glowing, radiating a golden light like that of the sun. And she had great, white, feathered wings. Senpai had turned into an angel?

"I came to take you to heaven, Tomo-chan," the angel said. Her voice was more beautiful than ever.

"So I am dead?" Tomoko asked. Not that it mattered if she was. There was nobody she would miss. And nobody would miss her. Maybe Yuu-chan, but she had a boyfriend. And Imae-senpai … no, Imae-senpai was here, with Tomoko. _"How come she's taking me to heaven?"_ Tomoko thought.

"Because I, Imae-senpai, am your guardian angel," the angel-senpai responded to her, smiling gently, as if she was reading Tomoko's thoughts.

Like she had done twice before, senpai bent over Tomoko and lifted her onto her arms. They rose directly up into the air, passing effortlessly through the ceiling as the hospital and its operating theatre were left behind. Tomoko wrapped her hands around senpai's neck and snuggled close to her.

When they were miles above the Earth, senpai suddenly grinned and said, "Nah, just kidding."

She then pried Tomoko's hands off and let her fall. "You're not getting to heaven! I never liked you! Have a nice trip to Hell!" senpai yelled as Tomoko fell away from her, down into the darkness.

Slowly, Tomoko came to her senses. She was lying on sharp rocks. Technically, that fall should have broken every bone in her body, but she was unharmed, except for some pain in her left ankle. She stood up and dusted her school uniform – "Why am I wearing my school uniform now?" she asked herself. But that didn't concern her as much as the environment. In short, it was hellish. The sun had turned into sackcloth and the sky into blood. Or maybe they had been like that to start with. She was in the middle of a volcanic wasteland, with a ring of red and black mountains surrounding the land filled with ash, rocks, and crevasses. A river of lava floated a few hundred yards from her, and she could feel the radiating heat on her skin even from this distance. Here and there, she saw structures which seemed to be made of iron, and metal poles sticking out of the ground. Near her was one of these poles, about the same thickness as a telegraph post, and there was a person standing next to the pole.

"Sensei, what are you doing here?" Tomoko asked.

Yes, it looked like Ogino-sensei, but Tomoko realized it wasn't really her. She was wearing a tracksuit like the teacher, but had a pair black bat-like wings, horns on her head, and fiery red eyes. She was holding a metal spike of some sort in her right hand, and had a coiled whip hanging off her belt.

"Oh, I'm just welcoming you to Hell. Do you know how many sesame seeds goes to one barrel?" the demonic sensei asked.

This sudden question bemused Tomoko for a moment. But for once, this was something she actually could handle, being good with math and quizzes. _"One barrel is about 120 liters … there's about 30 seeds in one cubic centimeter, one liter is a thousand cubic centimeters, that's 120000 times 30 …"_ she reasoned.

"About three and a half million?" Tomoko answered.

"Whoa! I'm impressed. Your barrel has exactly … 3770881 sesame seeds," the Ogino-demon said. "We remove one seed every hundred years. When the barrel is empty, your time in this Hell is finished."

"…three hundred and seventy-seven million, eighty-eight thousand and one hundred years!" Tomoko gasped.

"That's right. But since you got the answer so close, you get a price!" the demonic teacher exclaimed.

Tomoko only glared at her. She knew it would only be something depressing.

"I'll remove one of the seeds for you," the creature explained.

"Gee, thanks. I feel so much better now," Tomoko groaned.

"No need for sarcasm!" the demon scolded her.

"But this is totally unfair! I had a miserable life! I never scored! I don't deserve this," Tomoko complained. "And what the hell – no pun intended – am I going to do here for 377088000 years?"

"Glad that you asked …" the demon said, and grinned widely, revealing her sharp canines and a forked tongue.

An invisible force grabbed Tomoko, turned her upside down and lifted her a few yards into the air and moved her next to the iron pole. Her slippers also flew away, leaving her barefooted.

She yelped and tried to stop her skirt from falling down and revealing her panties. "Is _that_ what you are worried about?" the demonic sensei laughed.

Tomoko smelled hot iron, and saw that the metal spike the demon was carrying was in fact white-hot. The creature hovered in the air and impaled Tomoko's ankle with the spike, pushing it through and into the iron pole, leaving Tomoko hanging upside down, nailed into the pole through her ankle. There was surprisingly little pain – it didn't feel even as bad as the sprain had felt.

The demon let go of the spike and hovered backwards, to admire her work. "Okay, have fun. If you need anything, just scream!" she exclaimed, and flew away.

Tomoko smelled burning flesh and wondered whether the spike would burn through her foot eventually. If it did, she would smash her skull onto the rocks below. But if this was Hell, she was already dead and that wouldn't kill her either.

Somehow, despite being upside down, blood didn't seem to rush into her head. "Maybe I don't have blood since I'm dead?" Tomoko muttered. The pain wasn't still as bad as one might think. Just a dull ache in her ankle. Exactly like she had had at the hospital. She was more concerned of her skirt, which she couldn't hold up any longer.

"Oh, hi! I see you are just hanging around?" someone asked, and giggled at its own joke.

Tomoko looked around and another winged demon came into her view. It looked like Komiyama-san, wearing the fashionable swimsuit and glasses – but like the other one, this too had black wings, demonic tail, and the usual horns, fangs, and forked tongue.

"Mm, nice panties!" the demon hissed, bringing her face very close to Tomoko's crotch. Tomoko's cheeks turned red and she again tried to cover herself. The Komiyama-demon turned upside down as well, to be able to stare Tomoko at the eyes. "How's it going?"

Tomoko was too exhausted to think of a good comeback, so she just answered, "Horribly."

"Good!" the demon cackled, turned around again and started tickling Tomoko's bare soles.

"Ahahaha! Stop, stop! What kind of Hell is this!? HA HA HA HA! Tickling, of all things, that's just silly!" she screamed.

As Tomoko struggled, the white-hot spike impaling her ankle snapped and she fell … into chlorinated water, making a huge splash.

"What!" Tomoko gasped, and as she inhaled her mouth and lungs were filled with water. To her surprise, she wasn't drowning but was apparently able to breathe underwater. However, she had lost her bikini top – the school uniform had somehow changed into a bikini – as she landed. Quickly, she covered her bare chest with her arms. The Komiyama-demon stuck its head into the water and grinned at her. "Thanks for the fan service!" it chirped. "I'm sorry, but you have to go back now. See you next time you die!"

Tomoko opened her eyes and flinched as she woke up. It had all been just a nightmare.

She saw another unfamiliar ceiling. She didn't like the ceilings in a hospital. There were always bright fluorescent lamps, and the white paint only added to the effect. This was just another hospital bed in another room she had not seen before. Still she couldn't feel half of her body, but she managed to raise her head and saw that at least they hadn't cut it all away. Her left leg was covered in bandages and stuck out from under the covers. There was also a needle stuck into her arm, and it was connected by a tube into an IV bag on a pole, and there was a clothespin-like apparatus pinching her right forefinger.

And she was all alone. No Imae-senpai, not her mother, though not any scary masked people either. At least in Hell they cared about her. The Hell in her nightmare had not been that much worse than her life here on Earth. At least they had cared about her in there. Granted, only because they came to torture her, but anyway. And while it would have lasted for a very long time, it wasn't forever…

Tomoko was really thirsty, her throat was parched and at the same time she desperately needed to pee. Otherwise, she didn't yet feel any pain but her legs were tingling, stinging and tickling. Yet, her leg muscles weren't working properly. There was no way she could stand up, let alone walk.

"At least I'm feeling miserable. Every freaking time I feel good, I get punished, somehow," she sighed.

Many lonely minutes passed slowly without nobody coming to see her.

and then the person she had most wanted to see opened the door and entered the room. "Kuroki-san, you're awake!" Megumi gasped. Indeed, it was Imae-senpai, carrying a bundle of flowers and a basket of fruits.

"Miss Perfect," Tomoko gasped accidentally. Her dry mouth made her voice coarse. "S-sorry … I did it again," she added quickly.

Megumi, miss Perfect, placed the gifts onto the table, took a chair and sat down beside Tomoko's bed, before replying. "I don't mind because it's your nickname for me. And you know I'm not perfect…"

"Who would come to visit a schoolmate with flowers and gifts?" Tomoko muttered. "Please tell me they are for someone else…"

Megumi looked a bit ashamed. "No, they are for you! … But actually, I didn't buy them. Your mom did. She also asked me to deliver them because she had some affairs to take care of. Before the banks close or something like that. So she had to leave."

"I'd rather have you –" Tomoko started, but quickly shut her mouth before any more thinking aloud. "I mean, I'm sorry you have to spend your time like this!"

Senpai smiled, and said, "Yuu-chan and Komiyama-san had to leave. They hope you get well soon and Yuu-chan said she'll call you later."

While all this was really nice, Tomoko had other, more urgent things in her mind. "Uh, listen … is there a nurse around?"

"I told the nurse to take a break and said I'd take care of you!" Megumi exclaimed. "What do you need?"

Tomoko's cheeks turned rosy red. "Uh … I need to pee. Like, real bad."

Senpai took a professional attitude and found Tomoko a device which had a funnel-like thing attached into a plastic bag. And explained how it was used, before turning her back and giving Tomoko some privacy.

"I'm done," Tomoko muttered.

Megumi took the now-filled device Tomoko was handing her and decided to lighten up the mood. "Did you know that in the old times, doctors used to taste the urine of their patients?"

Tomoko's entire face turned beet red. "Eww, gross! Why would they do that!"

It didn't help at all that senpai was currently holding a bag full of Tomoko's pee. Senpai also had a weird expression, making Tomoko fear that she would demonstrate the thing she had told her in practice.

"Well, for example, if it tasted sweet, they'd know the patient had diabetes," Megumi explained. _"I bet Kuroki-san's pee tastes real sweet!"_ she found herself thinking, and blushed as well.

A really awkward silence lasted for several seconds, until Megumi flinched, quickly put the urinal device into the trashcan, went to wash her hands, and brought a glass of water to Tomoko who had asked for a drink.

After drinking, Tomoko slumped back onto the bed and sighed deeply. This day and especially these last embarrassments had left her utterly exhausted.

And senpai didn't show any intention of leaving.

"Senpai…" Tomoko whispered.

"Yes?" Megumi asked.

"Are you staying here?"

"Yeah. I already called home and told them."

Long silence followed. There were many questions burning in Tomoko's mind. But she didn't even know from where to start. Besides, she just couldn't. What if she was right and senpai just pitied her? And … what if she would be rejected? At most, senpai was just her friend. Nothing more.

Slowly, she gave up and relaxed. As long as senpai was holding her hand, she felt safe.

_"What, is she holding my hand?"_ was the last thought Tomoko had before she fell asleep.

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Since Tomoko is such an ass…burger, I almost wanted to punish her more. Like, she would get into all sorts of accidents and get bruises, wounds, broken bones, burns, losing an eye and so on. But that's a crack fic idea.

Also I thought about ending this fic with Tomoko getting leukemia. They'd find a bone marrow donor (no, not Megumi), irradiate Tomoko to kill her own diseased marrow, and then the transplantation would fail and she would die painfully (never scoring). But, while I'm not sure whether this fic has a happy ending, that one would be too sad.


	9. Chapter 9

**Because**** I'm not popular, don't like me!: Chapter 9**

A _very_ minor spoiler in this, won't probably ruin the manga for you.

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Next week was painful for Tomoko. Both literally – her ankle ached – and figuratively, since Imae-senpai was too busy with summer lessons and other duties to visit her. Senpai called her a couple of times and Tomoko heard that she even had a part-time job. And because of that, she said, she couldn't visit her before weekend. For Tomoko, this sounded like an excuse. _"She doesn't want to see me…"_

At home, mom didn't help her at all despite the injury, saying, "I'm not going to be your servant. Take those crutches and move yourself! And be thankful that you're exempt from chores."

Her brother Tomoki was, if possible, even more unsympathetic than mom. He barely talked to Tomoko and either stayed in his own room or went out with his friends. If possible, brother seemed to hate her more than before. Tomoko did not remember doing anything, so she just shrugged her shoulders and forgot about it. She never realized what she had done before she returned the camera.

At least there was something to look forward. Next weekend, that is. Mom, dad, and brother were going to a trip to a famous _onsen_ a half day's drive away. They had planned this a few weeks ago and Tomoko had already refused to go with them, and they didn't seem to care. Well, maybe dad had looked a bit sad, but that's all. If it had been a trip to Hokkaido or something … but this was just a boring old inn in the middle of nowhere. And with the cast on her leg, she couldn't take a hot bath anyway.

So next Saturday Tomoko would be all alone with Komiyama, who would have to do everything she said. Except, not alone – Imae-senpai would also be there. And Yuu-chan. They would try to do at least some of the summer homework while Komiyama would serve them. Or that was Tomoko's plan. She had not told them what she had planned to do with Komiyama. Senpai's presence would limit some of the things she had in mind, but maybe that was for the best.

By all accounts, Tomoko should have had no trouble waiting a few days. It was still summer break, and Tomoko had her computer, games and TV to keep her entertained. Somehow it just didn't feel as enjoyable as it used to. Tomoko found herself actually missing other people. Imae-senpai, of course, and also Yuu-chan, even Komiyama, who was an entertaining rival. As long as senpai stayed clear of her.

Finally that Saturday came. Mom, dad, and bro left at the morning. Tomoko thought they looked relieved that they hadn't take her with them. Well, except for dad. But, Tomoko guessed, dad probably liked her because they rarely even saw each other or spent time together. Dad worked really late, as Japanese fathers are expected to do, and his vacation was really short.

Tomoko hobbled around in the house and tried to clean up a bit, and went through her closet to find the prettiest clothes to wear. Fortunately Yuu-chan arrived early and Tomoko surprised her by asking tips for dressing up. "If you wish to look cute, let's say, for a boy … what would you wear from these?" she asked, pointing at the pile of clothes on the floor.

Yuu-chan gave her a weird look. "Mokocchi? D-do you have a boy you like?"

"Uh … I-I guess you could say so … kind of," Tomoko stuttered.

"Oh!" Yuu-chan gasped. "That's awesome? Who is it? Is it someone from your school?"

"I'll tell you … at some later time. But let's say there's a gi–, I mean, a boy who likes cute girls. What do you think I should wear?"

Yuu-chan knelt on the floor and started going through the selection. "You've got a lot of casual clothing …" she muttered. "We should go buy something for you. When your leg is better, that is. Remember the time we bought panties?"

Tomoko groaned. "Yeah … don't get me wrong, it was great. But afterwards – … never mind."

"Tell me later what happened. Hey, how about these?" Yuu-chan asked, showing Tomoko a white tank top and a short black skirt.

"I had a skirt?" Tomoko asked absentmindedly. "I hope it still fits…"

They did. Tomoko felt like she had not grown much at all since she was 12 or so. She sighed, "I wish I was taller. And more curvy … like Imae-senpai and you, Yuu-chan."

"But you are so cute! I'm not surprised senpai likes you so much," Yuu-chan said inadvertently.

"W-what!?" Tomoko gasped. "Have you been talking to senpai?"

Yuu-chan became flustered and quickly explained herself. "No! Or yes! I mean, we talked at the hospital. When your mom came and Imae-senpai was about to leave, except that she just didn't leave, for some reason..."

"D-did she tell you, uh … that … that she likes me?" Tomoko asked.

"No, not directly. But she couldn't stop talking about you. And she said you are really cute. She kept asking me questions about you … I thought it would never end," Yuu-chan answered.

"I see," Tomoko muttered. Deep in thought, she took the clothes from Yuu-chan and started changing. She wasn't at all bothered by Yuu-chan being there – there was no tension in between them, Tomoko realized. True, she often found herself smelling Yuu-chan, having skinship with her, such as trying to cop a feel. But it wasn't _serious_. Groping senpai … no, that wouldn't be innocent.

When Tomoko had changed clothes and tucked the rest into the closet they went downstairs. As they had finished a cup of tea, they heard the doorbell. Yuu-chan stood up and went to open the door. Soon she walked back, followed by Komiyama.

"Kuroki," Komiyama greeted her. If she found Tomoko cute in her current outfit, she certainly didn't show it.

"No no, that won't do!" Tomoko exclaimed. "Today, you will call each of us _onee-sama_. I am _Kuroki-onee-sama_, Yuu-chan is _Naruse-onee-sama_, and Imae-senpai is _Imae-onee-sama_."

"What?!" Komiyama gasped. "No way, that's embarrassing!"

"That's embarrassing, Kuroki-onee-sama!" Tomoko corrected.

"…Kurokioneesama," Komiyama muttered.

"I can't hear you. Also, you have to smile at all times. And say it with a nicer tone of voice!" Tomoko ordered.

Komiyama cleared her throat, smiled – which looked more unpleasant than cute – and said, with honey dripping from her tongue, "I shall do so, Kuroki-onee-sama."

That was so wrong that both Tomoko and Yuu-chan flinched a bit. How could someone make something so sweet and cute sound so spooky?

"You are, like, the creepiest maid at a maid café ever!" Tomoko groaned. "As if you had just poisoned the customers' drinks or something. But keep doing that. Maybe practice makes perfect."

"Yes, Kuroki-onee-sama!" Komiyama said, secretly enjoying the effect it had on them.

"Uh, right … anyway, here's an apron," Tomoko said, and placed a bundle of cloth onto the table. "I want you to wear only this apron."

The apron Tomoko had chosen was one of mom's; it was also the girliest, cutest, and most frilled and ruffled they had. Incidentally, it was also rather narrow, which was great for Tomoko's purposes.

Komiyama walked over to them, took the apron, sneered as she unrolled it, and hesitantly started to put it on, but Tomoko interrupted. "No, I meant _only_ the apron. Nothing else!"

Yuu-chan gasped, and Komiyama's face turned as red as a ripe tomato. "What?" she gasped.

"You have to do what I say. So, just the apron. Don't worry, my parents and brother are away. They won't see you," Tomoko explained.

"This is …" Komiyama started to protest. She stopped, took a deep breath, turned around, and stomped away, into the bathroom, and closed the door behind her, before Tomoko had time to order her to undress in front of them.

A couple of minutes later, the bathroom door opened slightly, and Komiyama, with her cheeks beet red, peeked out.

"So? Did you do it? Come here and let us look at you!" Tomoko commanded.

Visibly embarrassed Komiyama walked out, barefooted, with the apron barely covering her front and walked to them.

Before Tomoko had time to order her to twirl around, the doorbell rang.

Grinning, Tomoko gave her next order. "Oh, that must be Imae-senpai. Go answer the door! No, not you, Yuu-chan. Komiyama!"

Komiyama looked like she was about to flip, but she controlled her temper, and went to the main door.

Tomoko noticed Komiyama was still wearing her panties, but decided to let it slip. For now. Later she would punish her for disobeying.

What a perfect figure Komiyama had. Tomoko liked curvy girls like Yuu-chan and Imae-senpai more, but many boys – and girls – would love Komiyama's leaner body. Tomoko blushed as she realized what she was thinking.

They heard a surprised yell from the main door. "Komiyama-san! Wh-what are you wearing!"

That was Imae-senpai.

"Welcome, Imae-onee-sama, to Kuroki-onee-sama's house," they heard Komiyama replying, undoubtedly with a deep bow. Tomoko chuckled. She had to admit, Komiyama had guts. Tomoko thought that she herself would have fainted if she had to face senpai dressed like that.

Seemingly unfazed, though her cheeks still blushing, Komiyama walked in, followed by Imae-senpai, whose cheeks were also red.

Senpai glared at Tomoko. "Kuroki-san, did you make her dress up like that?"

_"I went too far and offended senpai!"_ Tomoko thought. "Yes, I'm sorr–"

"I love it!" Imae-senpai interrupted and turned to devour Komiyama with her eyes. "It's so … decadent! Could you turn around? May I take pictures?"

"No!" Komiyama groaned. "Definitely no pictures!"

Tomoko groaned in her mind. This was something she forgot to take into account. Imae-senpai liked girls and she could choose Komiyama instead of Tomoko! If Komiyama started dating senpai, she would … what?

These thoughts … finally Tomoko admitted it to herself. She wanted senpai to choose her. She wanted to be senpai's girlfriend. Sometimes, she had felt something like this towards Yuu-chan, but this was much stronger.

"Is this outfit from some anime?"

It took a moment for senpai's question to register in Tomoko's mind. "Oh, not directly … This does happen in anime, though I can't remember any titles for the moment."

Komiyama glared at both of them, her eye twitching. "So, onee-sama, what should I do next? May I please wear clothes again?"

"No, of course not," Tomoko said. "Go to kitchen and start cooking lunch."

"Me? Cooking?" Komiyama gasped.

Tomoko sneered at her. "What? Did you want to clean up the house instead or something?"

"I guess cooking is easier … onee-sama," Komiyama replied. She was getting more comfortable in her role, and didn't sound nearly as creepy as before. This time, she sounded more sarcastic. And she wasn't smiling. Tomoko didn't approve the behavior, but she was getting hungry and decided to postpone her punishment.

"I'll help you!" Yuu-chan exclaimed and started getting up.

"You don't have to help her … but maybe it's better you do," Tomoko agreed. "We don't even know whether she can cook at all."

"I can cook, Tomoko-onee-sama," Komiyama said.

When Yuu-chan and Komiyama were gone, Tomoko noticed that Imae-senpai was staring at her. Almost the same way she had been ogling Komiyama before. Or _more_ like that way. Tomoko felt her heart starting to beat faster. Senpai didn't make any effort to get her schoolbooks and start working. She just smiled and stared at Tomoko with those gorgeous dark eyes.

A line had been crossed – no, several lines. Some of Tomoko's fantasies had turned into reality. Come to think of it, she would never have thought she would have a personal nude servant at home, wearing only an apron. She also realized that if her mom would hear about this, she would explode. Of jealousy?

Senpai leaned forward, bringing her face dangerously close to Tomoko's. Tomoko noticed that at least three buttons of senpai's shirt were open and didn't know where to place her eyes. She also smelled so good… "May I stay the night?" senpai whispered.

The way she asked was different this time. As if senpai _wanted_ to stay here with her, not to take care of her, but just to _be_ with her. Maybe another line would be crossed tonight. Maybe she would have the courage to tell her. To ask her …

Tomoko snapped out of her thoughts, and quickly gasped, "Of course, senpai!"

Sempai leaned back again, stopping teasing Tomoko. "Komiyama looks pretty hot, don't you think?"

"Uh …" Tomoko hoped senpai was joking.

"And Yuu-chan … I almost want all you three girls in my harem!"

Tomoko's eyes widened and she stared at senpai with disbelief.

"Ha ha! You should've seen your expression. A harem, like in anime, you know?"

So she was joking. By now, Tomoko should have known. "Oh ... A harem anime. Yeah, I guess. Usually it's a boy who has many girls living with him, though," she said, and watched how senpai would react.

"Oh. I'd rather like a girl having a harem of girls," sensei said with enthusiasm.

"Me too! Too bad there isn't much anime like that," Tomoko sighed. Good that they were talking about anime and not real life, and she wasn't fazed by the subject. Tomoko tried to think of an anime like that. She couldn't count M*rimite or Str*wberry P*nic, and the rest were mostly hardcore ecchi. And all of them made for men, not for young women. She tried to think of an anime to watch with senpai.

"Do you think we have time to watch some anime tonight?" senpai asked.

"Why wouldn't we? Is there something else you want to do –" Tomoko stopped in mid-sentence as she started imagining _what_ they could be doing.

"Mmm, got to think of something," senpai cooed, and winked an eye.

_"She's definitely flirting with me!"_ Tomoko thought. Even the most autistic person would have understood it now. And Tomoko knew she at most had Asperger's, or something.

Tomoko was getting so flustered that she wanted to scream, but fortunately, Yuu-chan came back from the kitchen. "I peeled the potatoes and carrots but Komiyama-chan said she can manage the rest," she explained when she sat down.

"Oh? What are you cooking?" Megumi asked. "I can't cook at all, you know."

"She says she makes pots explode," Tomoko noted.

Yuu-chan giggled. "Is that really possible? Unless it was a pressure cooker?"

"No, just a normal kettle," Megumi claimed.

"Anyway, Komiyama-chan said she makes smashing curry rice. So that's what she's cooking."

They continued discussed cooking and exploding pots, what desserts each one liked the most, and so on. It was just a normal discussion. Except for Tomoko, who didn't even remember the last time she had had a normal discussion. Before befriending Imae-senpai.

They had forgotten about Komiyama, her current skimpy outfit, and how amazing she looked wearing it, until she came back to living room, carrying a tray of plates and utensils. "May I set the table, Kuroki-onee-sama?" she asked.

Yuu-chan's eyes widened, Megumi turned red and started to drool, apparently, and Tomoko just stared at her with her jaw open, until she rose from her trance and gasped, "Oh, yes. Please do."

With a mischievous grin, Komiyama walked right next to Megumi and bent down as she placed the tray onto the table, giving senpai a plenty to look at as her apron didn't quite cover much at all. Tomoko cursed in her mind. Of course Komiyama had noticed what effect she had, especially with senpai.

After setting the table – for four people, Tomoko noticed – Komiyama bowed deeply and returned to kitchen.

Megumi cleared her throat. "I feel guilty that she has to do all the work. Can I at least wash the dishes afterwards or something?"

"No!" Tomoko groaned. "She has to do it. Komiyama should be grateful that she gets off this easy."

Senpai just raised an eyebrow and Tomoko immediately humbled herself. "S-sorry! I didn't mean –"

"No, it's okay. As long as you don't do anything … how should I say it …" senpai pondered. "Just don't do anything I would do!" she finally concluded.

"Yes, Imae-senpai!" Tomoko exclaimed and bowed. It took her a few seconds before she got it. "Senpai!" she groaned.

Megumi burst into laughter. "Just teasing. But maybe it is good that it's you giving the orders … honestly, I wouldn't know what I would do."

_"She's afraid what she would do, or she's afraid she wouldn't know what to do?"_ Tomoko thought. With senpai, it was hard to tell. At times, senpai seemed at least as much a weirdo as Tomoko herself was.

"To have a cute girl like that as your personal slav– … servant for an entire day…" senpai sighed dreamily. "Oh, by the way, how long is she required to stay?"

Yuu-chan followed the discussion silently, just her cheeks turning redder and redder.

"A day … so … technically I could keep her here all night. But I don't think I will do that…" Tomoko muttered. _"Not when you are staying here as well!" _she added in her mind.

"Oh," senpai sighed.

_"She looks disappointed?"_ Tomoko thought. _"She'd rather have Komiyama as her toy than me? Why, of course she would … Komiyama is much hotter than me. Probably smarter, too."_

"It's okay, I have you …" Megumi muttered. "And you are cuter!"

Yuu-chan stared at both of them in turn, confused about what was going on. But she tried to take part in it. "I also think Mokocchi is cute! Komiyama-chan is cool, like you, senpai."

"Yuu-chan, you are much cuter than me…" Tomoko sighed.

"Cute is stronger than cool!" Megumi argued.

"But I'm always being bothered by boys," Yuu-chan said. "I'd rather be cool than cute. Do the boys hit on you, Mokocchi?"

Normally, Tomoko would have totally agreed with Yuu-chan that boys were always hitting on her and it was annoying. Of course it wasn't true. Boys just ignored Tomoko. This time Tomoko didn't want to lie because senpai was looking at her, listening to her answer. "No … not normally. M-maybe they think I'm a kid?"

Tomoko was relieved to come up with a reasonable explanation which wasn't a lie and which would still imply that she was cute. Not that she really thought she was cute, but that was another matter. Most importantly, senpai thought Tomoko was cute.

"You do look younger than you really are …" Megumi chirped. "But I think that's also very cute."

One could tell senpai honestly thought so; by the way she was leaning on her hand and staring dreamily at Tomoko.

"Dinner is ready, onee-sama!"

That was Komiyama, who was bringing the rice and curry to the table.

_"Saved by the bell,"_ Tomoko found herself thinking. Somehow even the most casual discussion could turn difficult with this crew.

Normally, a servant would have to stand and wait while the mistresses had dinner, but Tomoko knew she couldn't bear to watch that.

"Okay, Komiyama … I mean, thanks. Just sit down and eat with us," Tomoko sighed.

"Thank you, Kuroki-onee-sama!" Komiyama said humbly, bowed and sat down gracefully.

This didn't make Komiyama much less annoying to Tomoko. She sat opposite to senpai, who seemingly couldn't pry her eyes off of her. _"Look at me! Not at her!"_ Tomoko groaned in her mind.

"Wow, this is great!" Yuu-chan gasped when she tasted the curry.

"Yes, it is!" Megumi agreed.

Tomoko didn't want to admit it, but it was good indeed. Better than mom's, which of course wasn't that hard because Tomoko had always thought mom was a bad cook.

"It's okay…" Tomoko muttered.

Komiyama glared at her, her glasses flashing with reflected light. "You must've just been really hungry, then … onee-sama."

Megumi turned to look and saw that Tomoko's plate was already almost empty.

"Uh … all right, it was great!" Tomoko admitted. "Thanks."

_"And now I'll feel bad if I order her to do anything weird…" _she thought. Tomoko had had some 'weird' things in her mind but now she'd have to scrap most of them.

After everyone had finished, Megumi stood up and started collecting their plates.

"No, no!" Tomoko yelped. "That's Komiyama's responsibility."

"Oh. I forgot …" Megumi sighed. "But can't I help her?"

Tomoko sighed as well. "Okay … let's go wash the dishes together. In fact…"

She clambered up and remembered her ankle. "Whoa. I guess you have to carry them … anyway, what I was saying, I don't want to give you any more orders, Komiyama. Except you can make the tea. Maybe it's as good as your curry…"

"I it had been you, I would have teased you all night with no mercy," Komiyama replied.

"I know … Now, go put some damn clothes on!" Tomoko groaned. "I can't stand looking at you like that. We'll handle the dirty dishes."

"Yes, onee-sama!"

"And stop that."

Komiyama chuckled, turned around and went into the bathroom, giving them one more view of her bare backside.

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Komiyama and Yuu-chan had left after tea. And, finally, they were alone. Only the two of them, in an empty house, for an entire night, or even two nights; Tomoko's family wouldn't be back until Monday morning.

Tomoko was so nervous that her hands trembled. Senpai, on the other hand, was seemingly as cool as a cucumber and not at all nervous. In truth, she was probably at least as amped as her kouhai, but her experience in student council and having to do public speeches had taught her how to act cool.

Senpai stretched her arms, and grinned. "Should I wear only an apron too? Would you like that?"

Tomoko's jaw fell open and she could only gurgle something. She almost hoped senpai was _not_ joking, but of course she was.

"Yes, of cour– I, mean, senpai … we _really_ need to talk. Seriously!" Tomoko finally managed to gasp.

"Yeah, I guess so. This has been going on for too long," senpai agreed.

What did that mean? Did she mean they had been together for too long? Or that senpai had been pretending to be friends with a kouhai too long? Or they had not yet even kissed despite being in love for many months? Tomoko's brain throbbed as she quickly went through all the possibilities and outcomes.

"You shouldn't abuse your friends like that. Even when they lost a bet," senpai said.

Tomoko's jaw fell open. This talk turned out completely else what she had expected. "I-I'm sorry. Yes. I won't do that again. I'll make it up to Komiyama somehow."

She twitched as senpai ruffled her hair. "Though … I liked it a lot. I shouldn't have …"

"You – what?" Tomoko gasped weakly.

"But enough about that! How's the bath?"

"The what?"

With all the sudden turns, Tomoko kept losing track of the discussion.

"I presume you can't take a bath with that thing on your leg?"

"Oh. No, I can't. I just sit on the stool and use the manual shower … but you can have a bath, of course! The tub is full and I think the heater turned on automatically."

Because, luckily, Tomoko had forgotten to turn the automatic switch off.

"Too bad we can't get a bath together this time, but at least you can keep me company," senpai chirped.

Tomoko could only splutter something incomprehensible. Yeah, in anime, high school girls had baths together all the time. Nothing weird about that? Or is there? When at least one of the girls has a serious crush on the other.

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So they simply had a bath together.

Tomoko had not had a bath together with anyone since she was a little kid. Not even with Kii-chan. So, at first, Tomoko thought she would die of embarrassment.

But senpai somehow acted so naturally, so confidently … and considerately, that Tomoko calmed down.

Megumi was soaking in the hot bath, and Tomoko was sitting on the bath stool, finishing rinsing her hair, when senpai suddenly noted, "You probably noticed I'm haven't been looking at you."

Surprised, Tomoko looked at her – _she_ had not averted her eyes at any point. "You haven't? Why?"

"Because I don't want to make you uncomfortable," senpai explained.

"I'm not uncomf– … yes I am … but it doesn't matter who is watching. It's not because of you!"

"I thought so. Anyway, if _you_ want to look, go ahead. I don't mind…because it's you…"

Tomoko quickly checked that her nose wasn't gushing out blood, then she replied, "Uh, I have been looking…"

Megumi chuckled. "That's fine, then."

Not that Tomoko was able to look much, after that discussion.

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"Need any help? Do you want me to carry you upstairs?" Megumi asked.

Tomoko knew, in fact she thought senpai knew as well, that she didn't ask because she wanted to help her injured kouhai. No, Imae-senpai wanted to carry Tomoko, because senpai liked it. Tomoko could not say this aloud, because she was too she. And afraid; despite everything, she didn't know for sure whether senpai was still just toying with her. If she confessed first, and senpai then said she had just been having fun and flirting a bit with her friend … then what? _"My heart would break. If I even have a heart anymore..."_

But, apparently, she had – or at least there was something inside her chest. Beating more rapidly than usual, as she thought of being lifted on senpai's arms again. Tomoko almost wished she had asked this before they wore their pajamas.

"N-no, I don't want to bother you –"

"No problem!" Megumi interrupted, and snatched Tomoko onto her arms.

Tomoko thought senpai walked unusually slowly, but she didn't complain.

In her room, she found it was getting easier to talk to senpai the more they spent time together. The evening was still young. They talked about senpai's plans to become a doctor, the onsen where Tomoko's parents have gone to, the food Komiyama had cooked and about school lunch boxes, and of a hundred other things, until finally ending up snuggled together in the front of the computer and watching anime. It was one of the 12-episode yuri-ish animes, one with high school girls who are very good friends, almost more than friends, yet nothing came out of it.

"Boo. They never even kissed," Megumi complained after the last episode, not thinking of the implications.

Two high school girls who were very good friends, possibly even more, together in an empty house in the middle of the night, snuggling close together at Tomoko's computer, watching yuri-ish anime … a scene which could easily have been out of one of those animes.

Tomoko clicked 'shutdown' and they watched as the computer turned itself off.

"So …" Megumi whispered.

Tomoko thought her heart would burst through her ribcage. "S-so…" she gasped. "Uh, I've got to go to the bathroom!"

Before Megumi had time to offer carrying her, Tomoko took her crutches and quickly limped away.

"Damn!" Tomoko cursed as she crouched down in the bathroom. But she had actually had to go.

"I probably messed up everything. Just after she mentioned kissing! Senpai thinks I don't –"

But what was she thinking? Two girls, having a relationship? The other one being the student council president. Impossible! That can never happen! They would be disowned by their parents. No. Tomoko couldn't do that to senpai. Her life would be ruined, and so would Tomoko's. They would have to part, never to see each other again.

"Since I will never have a life anyway, maybe I can become a nun or something?" Tomoko muttered, remembering one particular anime which had this kind of an affair.

Though, a nun's life was probably hard. They had to work, and to kneel and pray on cold stone floors for hours on end. And the older nuns probably spanked the novices for every mistake or breaking the rules. Tomoko knew she couldn't handle any of that.

"I guess I have to kill myself to save senpai. If I jump out of the window …"

Nope. This was second floor. Not nearly high enough to kill her. And this house only had two floors. She looked around for something she could slit her wrists with. Razor blade? Nope, dad used an electric shaver. Besides, Tomoko knew she can't cut herself. She had tried to, since depressed people were supposed to do that. She had sat down with scissor blade on her arm but could never even break any skin.

Hanging was out of the question. She was terrified of choking, especially after her plunge into the swimming pool the other day. She had inhaled some water and that had been really unpleasant.

The gas stove at the kitchen? "Maybe if I put my head inside and turn the gas on … nah, the entire house would explode. Besides, senpai would smell the gas and come to stop me…"

At the end, Tomoko started laughing. Despite her miserable life, she had to admit that she could never kill herself.

"I guess I'll just ruin both of our lives, then."

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First base! ...still so far away?

This has slowly become more of Tomoko's point of view, I don't reveal what Imae-senpai is really thinking. I guess that's necessary for this fic to be of any interest.

I couldn't come up with stuff for Komiyama to do, so it ends abruptly (though Tomoko did want her to leave). Also I got the start and the end ready and was getting stuck at some middle parts for many days…ah well, this is just fan fic, it's not supposed to be perfect.


End file.
